6. Manna issue 90 - Grace, Mercy, Peace 恩典憐憫平安
Jachin—Singapore 新加坡 Jachin
“Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”
"願救主耶穌基督的父神，賞賜恩典憐憫平安"
Receiving such a greeting from a church member
may make us feel that he or she is either fooling around or being a little pretentious.
However, the epistles in the New Testament reveal that
this was in fact a common greeting the early Christians exchanged with one another.
More importantly, the New Testament authors,
who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, included this salutation in their respective letters
(1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Tit 1:4; 2 Jn 1:3).
Taken in that light, these words highlight what the Holy Spirit thinks is important to every Christian
— grace, mercy, and peace.
This article examines these three indispensable elements of our Christian lives.
從教會信徒那裡，收到問候，
可能會讓我們覺得，他或她要麼在胡鬧，要麼有點矯揉造作。
然而，新約書信顯示，
這實際上是，早期基督徒互相交流的常見問候語。
更重要的是，新約的作者，
他們受到聖靈的感動，在他們各自的信中，都包含了這樣打招呼
（提前 1:2；提後 1:2；多 1:4；約二 1:3）。
從這個角度來看，這些話突顯了，聖靈認為對每個基督徒很重要的東西
—恩典、憐憫與平安。
本文要探討我們基督徒生活中，這三個不可或缺的元素。
GRACE 平安
The Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary defines “grace”
as “the unmerited favour of God toward man.”[1]
There are thus two critical aspects of grace:
first, the help or favor that God gives to us;
second, our lack of worthiness to receive such help or favor
(Eph 2:8–9).
Unsurprisingly, the word “grace” is used much more in the New Testament than in the Old.
This is because Jesus is Himself the grace of God to humankind.
Baker福音詞典定義“恩典”，
是“神對人類的白白的恩惠。”[1]
因此，恩典有兩個關鍵層面：
第一，神給予我們的幫助或恩惠；
第二，我們本來不配得到這樣的幫助或恩惠
（弗 2：8-9）。
令人不出所料，“恩典”這個詞在新約使用的比在舊約更多。
這是因為，耶穌本身就是神對人類的恩典。\
Consider the miracles that Jesus performed during His ministry.
Many of these were performed on individuals who did not deserve the miracles.
The resurrection of Lazarus illustrates this
(Jn 11:1–45).
No one at that time believed Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead.
The disciples who followed Jesus did not believe,
nor did Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha.
(Lazarus, being dead, would have been completely unaware!)
Jesus performed the miracle anyway.
Another example was the Samaritan woman at the well who scoffed at Jesus’ words
(Jn 4:1–42).
Despite her response, Jesus patiently revealed the truth to her.
Jesus’ ministry shows us that the grace God gives us is truly a favor that we do not deserve.
想想耶穌傳道期間，所行的神蹟。
其中許多神蹟，是運行在那些不配之人的身上。
拉撒路復活，更說明了這一點
（約 11：1-45）。
當時沒有人相信耶穌，能使拉撒路從死裡復活。
跟隨耶穌的門徒不信，
拉撒路的兩個姐妹，馬大和馬利亞也不信。
（拉撒路已經死了，當然完全不會意識到這件事！）
總之，耶穌就行了神蹟。
另一個例子就是，撒瑪利亞婦人在井邊嘲笑耶穌所說的話
（約 4:1-42）。
儘管她有反應，耶穌卻耐心向她說明了真理。
耶穌的傳道工作，告訴我們，神給我們的恩典，確實是我們不配得的。
According to John, when Jesus came in the flesh,
He manifested the unique glory of the Father’s only begotten
—a glory that is full of grace and truth.
依造約翰的記載，當耶穌道成肉身的時候，
他彰顯了天父獨生子特別的榮耀
—充滿了恩典和真理的榮耀。
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
…And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
(Jn 1:14, 16)
14道成了肉身，住在我們中間，充充滿滿的有恩典有真理。
...我們也見過他的榮光，正是父獨生子的榮光。
（約 1:14，16）
John emphasizes that we have received the fullest of His grace.
In his description, John uses the superlative to describe the grace that believers have received
—grace overflowing in its abundance.
However, when we read this verse,
do we find ourselves murmuring “Amen!”
and wholeheartedly agreeing that we have indeed received the fullest grace of God?
約翰強調，我們已經領受神最豐盛的恩典。
他的描述裡，約翰用最高級的詞性，來描述信徒所領受的恩典
—恩典滿溢。
然而，當我們讀到這節經文時，
我們是否發現自己心頭會默唸“阿們呢！”
並全心全意同意，我們確實真的獲得了神最大的恩典呢？
Gratitude for Grace 感謝神的恩典
Gratitude ensues after we receive help or a gift.
Indeed, when we receive something we greatly need,
we will feel immense gratitude towards the one who supplies it.
During the current pandemic,
there have been heartwarming news reports of communities, cities and countries around the world
appointing certain times to applaud on their doorsteps and balconies,
to support their frontline workers and medical staff.
These grassroots campaigns
—coordinated via social media
—erupted as the COVID-19 crisis peaked in those respective countries,
and displayed a natural outpouring of gratitude
towards those working tirelessy and at great risk to themselves.
當我們得到幫助或禮物之後，就會有感激之情隨之而來。
確實，當我們收到自已非常需要物件的時候，
我們將非常感謝能提供它的人。
當前疫情期間，
世界各地的社區、城市和國家，都有令人心溫暖感動的新聞報導，
約定特別的時間，在自已的門口和陽台上鼓掌，
來支持他們的前線的工作人員和醫務人士。
這些草根發起的運動
—通過社交媒體協調
—隨著各別國家新冠疫情危機爆發，而達到頂峰，
並展現自然流露而出的感激之情，
對那些不知疲倦，冒著巨大風險的工作人員致敬。
On the other hand, what lies behind the absence of gratitude?
Is it because we have not been given what we need?
Or is it because we feel our wants have not been granted?
另一方面，缺乏感恩之心的背後是什麼原因呢？
難道是因為，我們還沒有得到自已所需要的東西嗎？
還是因為，我們覺得我們的慾望沒有得到滿足呢？
God Gives All that We Need 主必賞賜我們所需
We know that the grace of God is good and is what we need.
But we still long to have our wants fulfilled.
We cannot help feeling: If God gives me what I want,
I will say amen to the fullness of grace that I have received.
In his letter to Titus, Paul tells us that Jesus did not come to give us what we want.
Instead, the grace of God appeared to give all people salvation
(Tit 2:11).
Regarding salvation, God has held nothing back;
He has given us all that we need.
Paul exhorts us:
我們知道神的恩典是好的，也是我們所需要的。
但我們仍然渴望自已的慾望得到滿足。
我們不禁相信：如果神給了我所想要的，
我要對自已領受的豐盛恩典，說阿們。
保羅寫給提多的信中告訴我們，耶穌來不是為了要滿足我們。
相反，神的恩典看起就是要給了所有人拯救
（多 2:11）。
關於救恩，神沒有隱瞞任何事。
祂已經給了我們我們需要的一切。
保羅告誡我們：
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
(Eph 1:3)
3願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父神！
他在基督裡曾賜給我們天上各樣屬靈的福氣：
(弗 1：3)
Paul does not say that Jesus has blessed us with every physical blessing,
though it does not mean we have not received any.
Indeed, many of us enjoy significant material blessings.
However, what is worth remembering and being grateful for
is that Jesus has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
There is no spiritual blessing that Jesus has withheld.
Too often, unfortunately, we desire the physical more than the spiritual.
Should God then change His approach and give us what we want
instead of what He thinks we need?
保羅並沒有說，耶穌賜給我們一切物質上的祝福，
雖然這並不代表，我們沒有收到任何物質的好處。
是的，我們許多人都享受著重要物質的祝福。
然而，值得記住感恩的是什麼呢，
是耶穌已經祝福我們，可以得到各種屬靈的祝福。
耶穌並沒有保留任何屬靈的祝福。
不幸的是，我們常常渴望物質的事物，而不是屬靈。
那麼神是不是應該改變祂的方式，並給我們想要的東西
而不是祂認為我們需要的東西呢？
Reflect on an example familiar to all of us.
Do we give our children everything and anything they ask?
As responsible guardians,
we would first consider whether the child’s request is good for him or her
because the child is not quite able to discern between right and wrong,
or good and bad.
For example, there are many reports of children swallowing toxic substances,
having mistaken them as treats.
思考一個我們大家都熟悉的例子。
我們是否會給自已的孩子任何事物，以及他們所要求的任何東西呢？
作為負責任的監護人，
我們首先會考慮，孩子的要求對他/她是否有好處，
因為孩子不太能分辨是非，
或是好與壞。
比如，有很多關於兒童吞食有毒物質的報導，
把它們誤認為是零食。
From our human perspective, we think we know what is good for us.
And like a child, we ask our heavenly Father for these.
But God’s divine perspective transcends our limited one.
If God does not give us what we want,
then consider whether what we want is truly good for us.
Often, God does not give us what we want,
but gives us what is good and what we need.
從我們人類的角度來看，我們認為自已知道，有什麼對我們有好處。
像孩子一樣，我們向天父祈求這些東西。
但神的神聖視角，超越了我們有限的視角。
如果神不給我們想要的，
接著就要考慮，我們想要的東西，是否真的對我們有好處。
通常，神不會給我們想要的東西，
但會給我們好東西，及我們需要的東西。
Keep Appreciation Alive 隨時感謝
Perhaps the lack of gratitude does not stem from a greater desire for material blessings.
We may be believers who appreciate all our spiritual blessings.
But with the passage of time, our gratitude may have waned.
Turn the clock back to the time when we first believed in Jesus,
or when we first received the Holy Spirit.
Recall how we felt that everything around us had changed
—our mindsets were changed,
and we were convinced that salvation and the grace of God were all that we needed.
Yet, over the years, the intensity of our conviction has lessened.
Our thinking has changed again.
But Jesus has never changed.
He has given and continues to provide us grace upon grace
—the fullness of His grace.
So, on our part, we ought to constantly examine whether time has dulled our appreciation.
We need grace, but we also need to appreciate it.
也許缺乏感恩，並不是源於對物質祝福的更大渴望。
我們可能就是感恩的信徒，懂得感謝自已得到所有的屬靈祝福。
但隨著時間的流逝，我們感激之情可能已經減弱。
若時光倒流，回到自已最初信耶穌的時候，
或是當我們第一次領受聖靈的時候。
回想一下，我們感覺周圍的一切如何發生了變化，
—我們的心態變化了，
我們深信，神的救恩和恩典是我們所需要的一切。
然而，過了幾年，我們的信念強度衰弱了。
我們的想法又變了。
但耶穌從未改變。
他以前賞賜恩典，並且繼續預備讓我們恩上加恩，
—直到福杯滿溢。
因此，就我們的角色而言，應該要不斷省查，是否經過長時間之後，已使我們的感謝的心變遲鈍了。
我們需要恩典，但我們也需要懂得感謝。
MERCY 憐憫
Grace and mercy are two sides of the same coin.
Grace gives help and favor though we are undeserving;
mercy withholds punishment that we deserve.
To fully appreciate grace,
we first need to understand mercy because mercy only exists where there is punishment,
and punishment means there is a standard that defines what it means to be deserving or undeserving.
A person is punished because he has not kept to the required standard and is,
therefore, deserving of punishment.
The Bible tells us this as well.
恩典和憐憫是硬幣的兩面。
雖然我們不配，但恩典會給予幫助恩惠；
憐憫阻止了我們應得的懲罰。
要充分了解恩典，
首先我們需要理解慈愛，因為慈愛只存在於有懲罰的地方，
懲罰代表了，有一個標準會決定什麼事是值得，什麼事不值得。
人會受到懲罰，是因為他沒有遵守符合規定的標準，並且，
因此，而應該受罰。
聖經也告訴我們這一點。
For the law was given through Moses,
but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
(Jn 1:17)
17律法本是藉著摩西傳的；恩典和真理都是由耶穌基督來的。
(約 1：17)
In comparing Moses with Jesus,
the elder John depicts the proper sequence of things:
the law came first.
Without the law, there would be no standard for us to follow and,
thus, no measure for “worthiness.”
The law represents God’s standard for us,
without which we would be unable to understand or appreciate grace and truth.
In the Book of Romans, Paul states that only with the law is there punishment.
Without the law, there is no transgression.
For example, in Singapore, there is a law against littering in public areas,
and everyone is taught from young that littering is wrong.
However, that may not be the case in other countries.
When I visited some plantations back in Sabah, Malaysia,
I was discomfited by the sight of my father tossing durian seeds out of the house,
right onto the ground outside.
But he had done no wrong because there was no anti-littering law.
(Some would argue that such biodegradable “litter” is good compost for the soil!)
Nevertheless, that is the function of the law
—to set the standard by which everyone under the law’s jurisdiction ought to live.
若比較摩西和耶穌，
老約翰描述了事情的正確順序：
先出現律法。
若沒有律法，我們就沒有標準可以遵循，而且，
因此，亦沒有衡量“值不值得”的標準。
律法代表神對我們的標準，
若沒有律法，我們就不會明白了解恩典和真理。
羅馬書記載，保羅說只有因著律法，才會有懲罰。
沒有律法，就沒有過犯。
例如，在新加坡，有一條禁止公共場所亂丟垃圾的法律，
每個人從小就被教導，亂丟垃圾是錯誤的。
但是，若同樣的情況發生在其他國家，可能並非如此。
當我回到馬來西亞沙巴，巡查農地時，
看到父親把榴蓮種出扔出家門時，我感到很懊惱，
種子就丟在外面的土地上。
但他沒有做錯事，因為那裡沒有禁止亂丟垃圾的法律。
（有些人會爭辯說，這種可生物性可分解的“垃圾”，是土壤的好肥料吧！）
然而，這就是法律的功能，
—制定法律管轄下，每個人都應該有的生活標準。
New Mercies Every Day 每日有不同善行
Through God’s law, we know what is right and wrong.
Consequently, anyone who falls short of this standard of God is a transgressor of the law—a sinner.
Sinners do not just refer to robbers, arsonists, murderers,
or other perpetrators of what society deems as horrendous crimes.
All have sinned
(Rom 3:23).
And since the wages of sin is death
(Rom 6:23),
God’s mercy is critical for us all.
Had Jesus not shed His blood to wash away all our sins
—even supposedly “minor” sins
—we would perish.
Through His blood, our sins were forgiven in baptism,
and Jesus continually gives us mercy each day of our lives.
經由神的律法，我們知道什麼是對錯。
因此，任何不符合神標準的人，都是違法者—罪人。
罪人不僅僅指的是強盜、縱火犯、殺人犯，
或是其他社會認為是可怕罪行的犯人。
23世人都犯了罪
(羅 3：23)。
23因為罪的工價乃是死
(羅 6：23)，
神的憐憫，對我們每個人都很重要。
如果耶穌沒有犧牲流下寶血，洗淨我們一切的罪，
—即使是所謂的“小”罪
—我們就會滅亡。
藉著祂的血，我們的罪在洗禮中得到赦免，
耶穌在我們生命中的每一天，都不斷地憐恤我們。
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness. (Lam 3:22–23)
22我們不致消滅，是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛；是因他的憐憫不致斷絕。
23每早晨，這都是新的；你的誠實極其廣大！
(哀 3：22-23)
No one can stand before God.
We were destined for destruction,
and the only reason we have avoided this fate is because of His abundant mercy.
The Lord supplies the mercies we need, and they are renewed every morning.
沒有人能站在神面前。
我們注定要毀滅，
我們能夠避免這種命運的唯一原因，就是因為神豐盛的憐憫。
主預備了我們所需要的憐憫，而且每天早晨都會不斷更新。
More Mercy Than We Deserve 比我們應得的，得到更多憐憫
While suffering from rebuke or punishment,
we may feel that we are receiving more than our due.
But God is a merciful Father,
and Ezra assures us that God’s punishment is actually less than what we deserve.
在遭受責罰之時，
我們可能會覺得，自已得到的超出應得的責罰。
但神是慈悲的父親，
以斯拉先知向我們保證，神的懲罰實際上比我們應得的要少。
“And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt,
since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve,
and have given us such deliverance as this.”
(Ezra 9:13)
13神啊，我們因自己的惡行和大罪，遭遇了這一切的事，
並且你刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的，又給我們留下這些人。
(拉 9：13)
We have experienced
—be it with our parents or as parents ourselves
—that parental love prompts us to soften the punishment intended for our offspring.
Thus we should never doubt that
when the loving and merciful heavenly Father has to discipline us, His errant children,
He will extend to us grace and mercy and help us to become perfect, just as He is perfect.
我們都體驗過，
—無論是與我們的父母，還是自已身為父母，
—父母的慈愛，會促使我們減輕對自已子女的懲罰。
因此，我們永遠不該懷疑，
當慈愛憐憫的天父要管教我們，祂犯錯的孩子的時候，
他給我們長闊高深的恩典和憐憫，幫助我們變得完美，就像祂很完美一樣。
PEACE 平安
The Bible teaches us that
the peace professed by Christians is different from the conventional understanding of peace in the world.
聖經教導我們，
基督徒所宣傳的平安，不同於世上傳統對平安的理解。
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
(Jn 14:27)
27我留下平安給你們；我將我的平安賜給你們。
我所賜的，不像世人所賜的。
你們心裡不要憂愁，也不要膽怯。
(約 14：27)
Jesus does not leave us peace by giving us a trouble-free life.
Instead, He grants us peace that will prevail even when we have a life full of challenges.
I once met a Christian who professed the faith that Jesus would heal a person of all ailments;
Christians with faith would, therefore, never die from sickness.
But this is not what the Bible teaches.
耶穌並沒有給我們，因為無憂無慮的生活，而感到平安。
相反的，即使我們的生活充滿挑戰，他也保證我們的平安。
我曾經遇到一個基督徒，他自稱有信心，相信耶穌會治癒人所有的疾病。
因此，有信心的基督徒，永遠不會死於病痛。
但這不是聖經的教導。
Therefore we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man is perishing,
yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
(2 Cor 4:16)
16所以，我們不喪膽。
外體雖然毀壞，內心卻一天新似一天。
(林後 4：16)
Paul tells us that our outward man gradually deteriorates.
In other words, our physical bodies are not impervious to sickness or ailment.
God may heal us if He so wills,
but it does not mean that Christians are immune to all types of illness or even death in this life.
The world’s understanding of peace is a life without problem, ailment, or difficulty.
This is not the peace that we have been promised.
保羅告訴我們，我們外在的身體會逐漸退化。
換句話說，我們的身體並非不受疾病或病痛的影響。
如果神願意，就會醫治我們，
但這並不意味著基督徒在此生對所有類型的疾病甚至死亡都免疫。
世人對平安的理解是，沒有問題、疾病或困難的生活。
這不是我們得到應許的平安。
A Different but Enduring Peace 不同卻長久的平安
“…He Himself took our infirmities
And bore our sicknesses.”
(Mt 8:17)
"17...他代替我們的軟弱，擔當我們的疾病。"
(太 8：17)
These words recorded in the Book of Matthew is a prophecy from the prophet Isaiah
(Isa 53:4),
which has a dual fulfillment.
The first fulfillment took place when Jesus healed the sick and the infirm around Him.
The second fulfillment pertains to us and will only be truly fulfilled in the life to come.
Infirmities and sickness are consequences of sin;
they are the precursor to death, which comes about through sin.
But when Jesus bore our sins away through His death,
He also removed the consequences of sin.
Thus, the peace that we have comes from the knowledge that
everything we go through today is temporary, and we have a life to come
—a life without sickness, pain, and tears
—in the kingdom of God.
Such knowledge gives us a broader perspective and helps us to endure.
Whatever trouble, loss, pain, or ailment that we are suffering now
pales in comparison
to the indescribable inheritance we stand to gain when Jesus comes.
馬太福音記載的這些經節，是以賽亞先知的預言
（賽 53:4），
它可以雙重實現。
第一次應驗發生，是耶穌醫治他周圍的生病軟弱的人。
第二個應驗，是屬於我們，只會於來世才能真正實現。
軟弱疾病是罪的工價；
它們是死亡的預先的徵兆，而死亡是由罪而來的。
但是當耶穌通過他的死，承擔了我們的罪孽時，
祂還消除了罪帶來的後果。
因此，我們所擁有的平安，來自於這樣的認知，
我們今天所經歷的一切，都是短暫的，我們還有未來的生活
—沒有疾病、痛苦和眼淚的生活
—在神的國度裡。
這樣的認知，給了我們更寬廣的視野，讓我們可以忍受。
無論我們現在遇到什麼麻煩、損失、痛苦或疾病，
相比當耶穌再來時，這一切都是相形見絀，
我們都將繼承那難以形容的產業。
When our vision of the kingdom to come is obscured,
remember the promise that
“the Lord will deliver [us] from every evil work
and preserve [us] for His heavenly kingdom”
(2 Tim 4:18).
Such faith in a faithful Lord is the source of our peace.
Even if we lose everything now,
God remembers us in our hour of need;
and He will preserve us for redemption in His coming kingdom.
當我們看不清楚未來天國願景的時候，
記住應許，
"18主必救我脫離諸般的兇惡，也必救我進他的天國。"
(提後 4：18)。
對信實的主保持信心，是我們平安的源泉。
即使我們現會失去一切，
神在我們需要的時候，會記得我們；
祂會保守我們，在將來國度裡得到拯救。
CONCLUSION 結論
The knowledge and appreciation of grace, mercy, and peace
are indispensable to a Christian’s life,
and even more so with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening our health, life, and livelihoods.
As we try to grapple with the situation,
whatever it may be like in our communities,
we take comfort in knowing that
God’s grace may not always be what we want
but will definitely be what we need.
And as a loving Father who loves His children,
God extends to us more help than we are able to see now.
Finally, we take comfort in knowing that
everything we are now going through is temporary,
and God will preserve us, especially in these difficult times.
“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Father, in truth and love”
(2 Jn 1:3).
Amen!
能夠認知恩典、憐憫與和平安，並且懷著感恩的心
是基督徒生活中，不可或缺的，
即使是新冠疫情威脅我們的健康、生命和生計，更是如此。
當我們試圖應對這種情況時，
無論我們的社區，有什麼樣的情況，
我們很放心，因為知道，
可能神的恩典不一定是我們想要的，
但一定會是我們需要的。
作為一個疼愛孩子的慈父，
神伸出手，給予我們的幫助，比我們現在看到的還要更多。
最後，我們放心並知道，
現在自已所經歷的一切，都是暫時的，
神會保守我們，尤其是在這困難時期。
願
3恩惠，憐憫，平安從父神和他兒子耶穌基督
在真理和愛心上必常與我們同在！
(約二 1：3)。
阿們！
[1] “Grace,” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology,
Bible Study Tools, accessed September 15, 2020,
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/grace.html.
[1] “恩職,” 貝克聖經神學福音字典 Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology,
研經工具，2020年九月15日參閱，
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/grace.html.
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