0. Manna issue 95 - Editorial: Life time Ministry 編輯評論：終身的事奉
KC Tsai—Toronto, Canada 加拿大多倫多
In this final issue of our Time to Reflect trilogy,
we consider the meaning of our life,
and how to live a life worthy of our calling.
How does receiving God’s truth and grace of salvation define our existence on earth?
Like Paul, once we have been saved,
we should dedicate our lives to God.
This represents a healthy relationship with God.
在我們反思時間三部曲的最後一期中，
我們思考自已生命的意義，
以及如何過著配得我們呼召的生活。
接受神的真理和救恩的，會如何定義我們在地上的存在？
就像保羅一樣，一旦我們得救了，
我們應該把自已的生命獻給神。
這代表與神健康的關係。
A LIVING SACRIFICE 活祭
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.
(Rom 12:1)
12所以弟兄們，我以神的慈悲勸你們，
將身體獻上，當作活祭，是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的；
你們如此事奉乃是理所當然的。
（羅 12：1）
Why does Paul beseech in such a way?
The “therefore” signifies that there was a reason for his pleading.
In the preceding chapter, he writes that
we were
“cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature,
and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree”
(Rom 11:24).
Though we were initially
“without Christ,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world”
(Eph 2:12),
we have been ushered into the grace of salvation through the blood of Jesus.
He suffered tremendously and sacrificed His own life for our sins.
Man can never repay such immense love.
Seen in this light,
presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him
becomes a logical and reasonable response.
This is why Paul proposes a lifetime ministry
for all who belong to the Lord and desire to serve Him.
He implores them to present their entire lives unreservedly to God.
保羅為什麼這樣來懇求呢？
“因此” 代表了他的請求是有原因的。
在前一章，他寫道，
我們是
“24從那天生的野橄欖上砍下來的，
尚且逆著性得接在好橄欖上”
（羅 11：24）。
儘管我們一開始，
“12與基督無關，
在以色列國民以外，
在所應許的諸約上是局外人，
並且活在世上沒有指望，沒有神”
（弗 2：12），
藉著耶穌的寶血，我們已經得到帶領進入救恩。
祂承受了極大的痛苦，為我們的罪犧牲了自己的生命。
人類永遠無法報答如此巨大的愛。
從這個角度來看，
將自已的身體當作活祭獻給祂，
成為了合乎邏輯且合理的回應。
這就是保羅提出終身事奉的原因，
給所有屬主且渴望服事祂的人。
他懇求他們，將自己的一生毫無保留的獻給神。
But what is a living sacrifice?
And why is it holy and acceptable to God?
但活祭是什麼呢？
為什麼它是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的呢？
In the Mosaic Law, man was instructed to offer burnt offerings.
The sacrificial animals were killed before being placed on the altar,
as no animal would be willingly sacrificed if given a choice.
By implication, they were dead sacrifices.
Under the new covenant established by the Lord Jesus,
man is not forced to make any offerings against his will.
This was why the offering of Ananias and his wife Sapphira was unacceptable to God
(Acts 5:1–11).
After seeing other brethren selling their possessions
and offering the proceeds to the apostles,
they felt pressured to do the same.
Their reluctant offering, and conspiracy to keep part of the proceeds
while appearing to offer the whole sum,
brought God’s wrath upon them, and they died.
Therefore, our offerings must be genuine and faithful.
If one willingly presents his body as a living sacrifice,
it is holy and acceptable to God.
摩西律法吩咐人獻燔祭。
獻祭的動物放在祭壇之前要先宰殺，
因為如果有選擇的話，沒有動物會願意犧牲。
言下之意，他們就是死祭。
在主耶穌所設立的新約之下，
不會脅迫人做出任何違背自己意願的獻祭。
這就是亞拿尼亞和他妻子撒非喇的奉獻神不接受的原因
（徒 5：1-11）。
看到其他弟兄姐妹變賣財產之後，
並將奉獻收益給使徒，
他們感到壓力而這麼做。
他們勉強拿出來，並同謀保留部分的收益，
而好像獻出了全部的金額，
引起神對他們發怒，他們就死了。
因此，我們奉獻必須真心、忠實。
人若甘心將自己的身體獻上當作活祭，
它是聖潔的，神所喜悅的。
DEDICATING YOUR LIFE IN MINISTRY 奉獻生命事奉
Everyone who realizes how great Jesus’ grace is upon him
should embark on a journey of lifetime ministry.
But it is even more meaningful to serve without worldly distractions
—to serve as a full-time minister.
每個認識自已身上耶穌恩典有多麼偉大的人，
應開始踏上終身事奉的旅程。
若不受世俗干擾，則事奉會更有意義，
—擔任全職事奉工人。
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life,
that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
(2 Tim 2:4)
4凡在軍中當兵的，不將世務纏身，
好叫那招他當兵的人喜悅。
（提後 2：4）
A full-time minister is like a soldier enlisted by the Lord Jesus
to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life
(1 Tim 6:12).
He needs to fight determinedly, untethered from worldly affairs.
And through this fight, the worker grows stronger and advances.
By studying the Bible constantly and sharing its messages,
the worker will mature spiritually
and be an example to the believers
in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity
(1 Tim 4:12).
He is like the hardworking farmer, partaking of the crops first
(2 Tim 2:6).
全職事奉工人就像是主耶穌徵召的士兵，
要打機一場信仰的仗，抓住永生
（提前 6：12）。
他需要堅定戰鬥，不受世俗事務的束縛。
透過這場爭戰，工人變更強而前進。
透過不斷研習聖經，並且分享其中的信息，
工人的靈性將會成熟，
並成為信徒的榜樣，
在言語，行為，愛心，靈性，信心和清潔上
（提摩太前書 4:12）。
他就像是勤奮的農夫，先分享農作物
（提後 2：6）。
A FULFILLING AND VICTORIOUS LIFE 完成得勝的生命
By the end of his life, Paul said:
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,
and the time of my departure is at hand”
(2 Tim 4:6).
This expresses a sense of relief and contentment,
like the sigh of a runner crossing the finish line.
He felt his life of ministry was fulfilling and victorious:
在生命的最後一刻，保羅說：
“6我現在被澆奠，
我離世的時候到了。”
（提後 4：6）。
這表達出一種放鬆和滿足的感覺，
就像跑者衝過終點線的嘆息。
他感覺自己事奉的生活即充實且得勝：
I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day,
and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
(2 Tim 4:7–8)
7那美好的仗我已經打過了，
當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了。
8從此以後，有公義的冠冕為我存留，
就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的；
不但賜給我，也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人。
（提後 4：7-8）
Is there any prize more precious than the crown of righteousness?
It is a laurel presented by the Lord Jesus.
Unlike regular laurels, it is imperishable
(1 Cor 9:25).
A full-time worker who ministers God’s word faithfully
and endures to the end will be a laureate forever.
還會有什麼獎賞，比公義的冠冕更加寶貴呢？
就是主耶穌親贈的冠冕。
與世俗的桂冠不同，它是不朽壞的
（林前 9：25）。
忠心傳講神話語的全職工人
堅持到底，將成為永遠的得勝者。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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