1. Manna issue 97 - The Word of God Is Truth 神的話是真理
KC Tsai—Toronto, Canada 加拿大多倫多
SANCTIFIES AND GRANTS ETERNAL LIFE 成聖得賜永生
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
(Jn 17:17)
“17求你用真理使他們成聖；你的道就是真。 ”
（約 17：17）
Before ascending to heaven and departing from His disciples,
Jesus prayed to the Father, saying,
"I have glorified You on the earth.
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do"
(Jn 17:4).
Jesus also said,
"And this is eternal life,
that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent"
(Jn 17:3).
耶穌升天離開門徒前，
向天父禱告說：
“4我在地上已經榮耀你，
你所託付我的事，我已成全了。”
（約 17：4）
耶穌也說：
“3認識你─獨一的真神，並且認識你所差來的耶穌基督，這就是永生。”
（約 17：3）
An essential part of the work that Jesus completed
was to give the word of God to those whom the Father had given Him
(Jn 17:8–9).
Thus, they knew that Jesus had come from God
and had been sent by God's Spirit to the world to fulfill God's salvation plan.
The ones whom the Father had given Jesus were the eleven apostles
and those who would believe in the Lord because of their word
(Jn 17:20).
Those who came to believe in the Lord through the apostles' witness
would become one with the apostles,
just as the Lord and the Father are one
(Jn 17:22).
Therefore, today, amidst a baffling array of Christian denominations,
persevering in the apostles' teaching is key to ascertaining the true church.
The true church's preaching must be consistent with that of the apostles.
For example, baptism should be administered in the name of the Lord Jesus
(Acts 2:38),
not in any other name.
Those who receive the promised Holy Spirit will speak in tongues
(Acts 10:44–46).
Conversely, the true church must not do what the apostles neither practiced nor instructed,
such as celebrating Christmas, Easter, and so on.
耶穌完成工作的至關重要部分，
就是將神的道傳給那些父賜給祂的人
（約 17：8-9）。
因此，他們知道耶穌是從神而來，
並受神聖靈差遣到世上來完成神救贖的計畫。
那些父賜給耶穌的人是十一個使徒，
以及那些因他們話語而信主的人
（約 17：20）。
那些因使徒見證而信主的人，
將與使徒合而為一，
正如主與父原為一
（約 17：22）。
因此，今日在一大批令人困惑的基督教派中，
堅持使徒教導就是查明真教會的關鍵。
真教會傳福音必須與使徒教導一致。
例如，洗禮應該奉主耶穌聖名來施洗
（徒 2：38），
而不是奉別的名。
那些領受應許聖靈的人會說靈言
（徒 10：44-46）。
相反的，真教會必不可行眾使徒即沒有實踐亦無教導的事情，
例如慶祝聖誕節，復活節等等活動。
The word of God is a crucial channel for man to know God
(Jn 17:3).
God speaks in multiple ways to those who are willing to believe in Him.
He speaks through the ancient saints in the Old Testament who feared and trusted Him,
through the interactions between them and Himself,
through the words of the prophets,
and through the words spoken directly by Jesus.
Everyone has the opportunity to know Him and inherit eternal life
(1 Tim 3:16).
However, we must carefully learn God's word from the entire Bible,
not just selecting parts that appeal to us while discarding the rest.
We must not only heed what God directly speaks
but also His messages conveyed through biblical characters and events.
神的話語是人認識神的重要管道
（約 17：3）。
神以多種方式向那些願意相信祂的人說話。
祂透過敬畏信靠祂舊約的古聖徒說話，
透過與他們的互動，
透過先知的話語，
以及透過耶穌直接說的話。
每個人都有機會認識祂，繼承永生
（提前 3：16）。
然而，我們必須小心從整本聖經學習神的話語，
而不是只選擇那些吸引我們的部分，而丟棄其餘的部分。
我們不要只留意神直接說的話，
也要注意祂透過聖經人物和事件所傳達的信息。
SWEETER THAN HONEY 比蜜更甜
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
(Ps 119:103–105)
103你的言語在我上膛何等甘美，在我口中比蜜更甜！
104我藉著你的訓詞得以明白，所以我恨一切的假道。
105你的話是我腳前的燈，是我路上的光。
（詩 119：103-105）
"The word of God is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."
When these words were written,
there were no electric lights as we have today.
After dark, if clouds obscured the moon, paths would be indistinguishable.
Torches or lanterns were essential if people wanted to walk around.
The Psalmist's analogy emphasizes the importance of God's word
as the lamp illuminating the path ahead to prevent one from stumbling in a pitch-dark world.
God's word is the light that indicates the direction we should travel,
especially when we are faced with choices at life's crossroads.
In short, if we want to walk peacefully and smoothly and enter into eternal life,
we must faithfully obey the word of God.
“105你的話是我腳前的燈，是我路上的光。”
寫下這些話的時候，
還沒有像我們今日的電燈。
天黑後，如果烏雲遮住月亮，就難以認路了。
若有人要四處行走，火把或燈籠就不可或缺。
詩篇作者用比喻強調神的話語的重要性，
它就像一盞明燈照亮前路，可讓人不會在漆黑的世界跌倒。
神的話語就是亮光指引我們前進的方向，
尤其是在人生十字路口我們要面臨的選擇時。
簡而言之，如果我們想要平安順利的前行且進入永生，
就必須忠心遵守神的話語。
"How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Another critical aspect the Psalmist highlights is that
God's instructions for our walk of faith are not burdensome.
In fact, the enlightenment that His word brings surpasses any worldly sweetness.
Therefore, if we cannot taste the sweetness of God's word when reading the Bible,
it is because we have not sincerely pondered the meaning of the words
or immersed ourselves in them.
If our hearts are filled with secular things,
are longing for worldly matters,
or are consumed by the lusts of the flesh or of the eyes,
then our hearts cannot contain the word of God.
This is why many of us often read the Bible, pray, and listen to sermons,
yet lack spiritual knowledge in our hearts.
Our speech and actions do not reflect spiritual virtues.
“103你的言語在我上膛何等甘美，在我口中比蜜更甜！”
詩篇作者強調的另一個重點是，
神教導我們行走信心之路並不會沉重。
事實上，祂話語的啟示遠勝過任何世俗的甜蜜。
因此，如果我們讀聖經時，不能品嚐神話語的甘甜，
那是因為我們沒有虔誠思想神話語的意義，
或自已沉浸於其中。
如果我們內心充滿世俗的事物，
渴望世俗的事物，
或是深陷於肉體與眼目的情慾，
那麼我們內心就無法容納神的話語。
這就是為什麼我們許多人常常讀經，禱告，聽道，
自已內心卻缺乏屬靈知識。
我們的言行沒有彰顯屬靈的美德。
SHARPER THAN A TWO-EDGED SWORD 比雙刃劍更利
For the word of God is living and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
and of joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
And there is no creature hidden from His sight,
but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
(Heb 4:12–13)
12神的道是活潑的，是有功效的，
比一切兩刃的劍更快，
甚至魂與靈，骨節與骨髓，都能刺入、剖開，
連心中的思念和主意都能辨明。
13並且被造的沒有一樣在他面前不顯然的；
原來萬物在那與我們有關係的主眼前，都是赤露敞開的。
（來 4：12-13）
"The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
To help make sense of the world,
we often categorize things or people in terms of their similarities or dissimilarities.
However, we must be careful not to inadvertently do it in a way that causes division in the church.
For example, some people separate believers in the true church into two groups:
those who have believed from a young age and those who converted to Christianity later in life.
What is the purpose of making such a distinction?
How does it help—if ever—the church?
If there is no ostensible benefit,
we should refrain from making such a distinction lest it erode the unity of the church.
“12神的道連心中的思念和主意都能辨明。”
為了可以理解這個世界，
我們常常根據事物或人物的相似及不同之處來分類。
然而，我們必須小心不要無意間造成教會的分裂。
例如，有些人分裂真教會的信徒成為二個群體：
那些從小信主的人及那些長大後來改信基督教的人。
做出這種區分有什麼目的呢？
它對教會有什麼幫助呢─如果有的話？
若是沒有明顯的益處，
我們就應該避免做出這樣的區分，以免破壞教會的合一。
Friendship with the World Is Enmity with God 與世界為友就是與神為敵
Adulterers and adulteresses!
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
(Jas 4:4)
4你們這些淫亂的人（原文是淫婦）哪，
豈不知與世俗為友就是與神為敵麼？
所以凡想要與世俗為友的，就是與神為敵了。
（雅 4:4）
Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world
—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
—is not of the Father but is of the world.
(1 Jn 2:15–16)
15不要愛世界和世界上的事。
人若愛世界，愛父的心就不在他裡面了。
16因為凡世界上的事，
就像肉體的情慾，眼目的情慾，並今生的驕傲，
都不是從父來的，乃是從世界來的。
（約壹 2：15-16）
On the other hand, there are important differentiations that we should make.
One such distinction is between being human-centered and God-centered.
The human-centered individual brings in what he has learned from the world
and views church affairs through a solely secular lens.
He emphasizes individual rights, human relationships, and interactions.
He advocates for the church to be managed and led according to secular principles,
using legislative, administrative, and management concepts
originating from a society without God.
另一方面，我們應該做出一些重要的區分。
其中一個這樣的差別就是會以人為本及以神為重。
以人為本的人會將自己世俗中學到的東西帶進教會，
並純以世俗的視角來看待教會事務。
他強調個人權利，人際關係和互動。
他主張教會應該按照世俗原則進行管理和領導，
使用源自非神的社會立法，行政及管理概念。
On the other hand, the God-centered individual seeks the will of God in all matters,
as revealed in the Bible.
He fears God and puts Him first.
He constantly examines himself
to ensure he still walks before God and faithfully serves Him.
The God-centered individual understands
that God shepherds His church through His chosen servants.
These servants must obey the word of God,
leading and caring for the believers according to God's will.
They serve willingly, not for dishonest gain.
They serve not by being lords over those entrusted to them
but by being examples to the flock
(1 Pet 5:2–3).
另一方面，以神為重的人凡事尋求神的旨意，
正如聖經所啟示的那樣。
他敬畏神，將神放在第一位。
他不斷自己省察，
以確保自己仍行在神面前，忠心事奉神。
以神為中心的人明白，
神藉自已所揀選的僕人來牧養祂的教會。
這些僕人必須遵行神的話語，
依照神的旨意帶領和照顧信徒。
他們樂意事奉，不求不義之財。
他們事奉，不是去轄制那些所託付他們的人，
而是作為群羊的榜樣。
（彼前 5：2-3）
There is only one way to progress from being human-centered to being God-centered:
we must diligently study the word of God and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
要從以人為本進到以神為本，只有一條路：
我們必須殷勤學習神的話語，並依靠聖靈的能力。
Pierced by the Word of God or the Word of Man 被神或人的話語刺穿
Sometimes, we are deeply moved, even to the point of tears, by a sermon.
What exactly is it that touches us?
Is it the memorable anecdotes of members who endured great hardships?
Is it the eloquence and expressiveness of the speaker?
Or are our hearts touched by the recognition of God's manifold love and unfailing mercies?
Are we touched by the vast, boundless grace of Jesus Christ
—how patient, longsuffering, and forgiving He is towards stubborn and rebellious man?
We must have spiritual wisdom to discern the messages that we hear.
有時，一篇講道會讓我們深受感動，甚至會落淚。
那感動我們的究竟是什麼呢？
難道是信徒忍受大試煉那些難忘奇妙的見證？
難道是講者的口才和表達力？
還是我們內心因為了解神豐富慈愛及永不止息憐憫所感動？
我們是否為耶穌基督那浩瀚無垠的恩典所感動？
—祂對那頑固悖逆的人懷有多大的耐心，忍耐和寬恕？
我們必須有屬靈的智慧來辨別自已所聽到的信息。
It is not wrong to be touched by emotive words and stories
—we would be heartless if we were not.
Many people are swept away by fictional romance novels or drama series
created to evoke strong emotions in the target audience.
But when it comes to sermons about faith,
we need to discern whether the message aligns with the principles of the Bible
and allows our souls to be touched by God's truth rather than superficial feelings.
有人因為動人的話語和故事而感動並沒有錯，
─如果我們不受感動，那我們就是冷酷無情。
許多人因為虛構愛情故事或電視劇系列而著迷，
他們的創作是用來激起目標觀眾的強烈情感。
但談及關於信仰的講道時，
我們需要分辨此訊息是否符合聖經的原則，
是否能讓自已的靈魂得神真理而感動，而非膚淺的情感。
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing,
because when you received the word of God which you heard from us,
you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
(1 Thess 2:13)
因此，我們也不住地感謝神，
因為你們聽見我們所傳神的道就領受了，
不以為是人的道，乃以為是神的道，
這道實在是神的，並且運行在你們信主的人心中。
（帖前 2：13）
The believers in Thessalonica heard the message preached by Paul, Silas, and Timothy
and could discern whether it was the word of God or the word of man.
They could confidently welcome and accept what they heard
because they compared what they heard with the Scriptures.
Can we do the same?
帖撒羅尼迦的信徒聽到保羅，西拉和提摩太所傳的信息，
並能夠分辨這是神還是人的話語。
他們很有信心歡迎接納所聽的訊息，
因為他們將自已所聽到的訊息與聖經對照。
我們能做到嗎？
INCORRUPTIBLE SEED 不朽的種子
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren,
love one another fervently with a pure heart,
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,
through the word of God which lives and abides forever.
(1 Pet 1:22–23)
22你們既因順從真理，潔淨了自己的心，
以致愛弟兄沒有虛假，
就當從心裡（從心裡：有古卷是從清潔的心）彼此切實相愛。
23你們蒙了重生，不是由於能壞的種子，乃是由於不能壞的種子，
是藉著神活潑常存的道。
（彼前 1：22-23）
The word of God is an incorruptible seed; it is full of life.
When nurtured and cultivated with care,
it will surely grow and mature.
Our rebirth is a transformation from being born of flesh and blood to being born of God,
being born from above.
One is born again through baptism in the true church
and is a child of God through the abidance and testimony of the Holy Spirit.
Such a person must continue to be renewed and transformed
by submitting to the Holy Spirit and obeying God's living word.
To finally enter into eternal life, one must continually maintain a born-again life
(Jn 3:3–8).
神的話語是不朽壞的種子，充滿生命。
只要精心培育和栽培，
就必定會長大成熟。
我們的重生就是從血肉重生到從神而生的轉變，
從天上而生。
一個人在真教會藉受洗而重生，
成為神的兒女並藉著聖靈的同在和見證。
這樣的人必須不斷更新和改變，
藉由順服聖靈並遵行神活潑的話語。
若要最終進入永生，人必須不斷維持重生的生命。
（約 3：3-8）
In the parable of the sower spoken by Jesus,
the seed represents the word of God that falls on different types of ground.
While the word of God is unchanging truth,
its effects vary depending on the individual listener.
Some people's hearts are like the wayside,
where the devil snatches away God's word from their hearts.
Others are like the rocky ground,
receiving the word with joy but failing to let it take root.
Some are like the thorny ground,
filled with the deception of worldly cares and riches
that choke the word of God and prevent it from growing and maturing
(Lk 8:12–14).
The word of God is the word of life,
but such people fail to see its value.
耶穌講述撒種的比喻中，
種子代表神的話語落在不同土地上。
雖然神的話語是永不改變的真理，
但其效果卻因各別聽眾而異。
有些人內心就像路邊，
魔鬼從他們心中抓走了神的話語。
有些人則像是石頭地，
歡喜領受了神的話語，卻未能讓它紮根。
有些人卻像是荊棘地，
充滿了世俗憂慮和金錢的迷惑，
這些迷惑噎住了神的話語，阻止它生長成熟。
（路 8：12-14）。
神的話語就是生命之道，
但這樣的人卻看不出它的價值。
The wise are those whose hearts are like the good ground
—they receive the word with a noble and good heart,
keep it, and bear fruit with patience
(Lk 8:15).
They allow the word of God to take root in their hearts.
They persist in living out the word of God amidst life's challenges
and, in so doing, bring glory to God.
智慧的人，他們的內心如同好土，
—他們以高貴善良的心領受神的話語，
好好持守，並且耐心等待結出果實。
（路 8：15）
他們讓神的話語在心中紮根。
他們在人生的挑戰中堅持活出神的話語，
並因此行，歸榮耀給神。
CONCLUSION 結論
When the apostle John was in his old age,
based on his experience and understanding of serving God, he said:
使徒約翰年老時，
根據他事奉神的經驗和領悟，他說：
The Elder,
To the elect lady and her children,
whom I love in truth, and not only I,
but also all those who have known the truth,
because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever.
(2 Jn 1:1–2)
1作長老的寫信給蒙揀選的太太（或作：教會；下同），和他的兒女，
就是我誠心所愛的；不但我愛，
也是一切知道真理之人所愛的。
2愛你們是為真理的緣故，這真理存在我們裡面，也必永遠與我們同在。
（約二 1：1-2）
The recipient of Elder John's letter, the elect lady, is the true church.
Her children are the members within.
Elder John said that the truth is the motivation of his love for the brethren.
A love outside of the truth is not true love, as he continues to write:
約翰長老寫信的收件人，那位蒙揀選的女士，就是真教會。
她的子女就是教會信徒。
約翰長老說，真理是他愛弟兄的動力。
真理之外的愛心並不是真愛，正如他接著寫道：
This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning,
you should walk in it.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world
who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.
This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
(2 Jn 1:6–7)
6我們若照他的命令行，這就是愛。
你們從起初所聽見當行的，就是這命令。
7因為世上有許多迷惑人的出來，
他們不認耶穌基督是成了肉身來的；
這就是那迷惑人、敵基督的。
（約二 1：6-7）
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine,
do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
(2 Jn 1:10–11)
10若有人到你們那裡，不是傳這教訓，
不要接他到家裡，也不要問他的安；
11因為問他安的，就在他的惡行上有分。
（約二 1：10-11）
We emphasize love in the church,
but it must be a discerning love that differentiates the truth from falsehood.
God's love cannot be separated from the truth.
He reveals His love within His written word
and imparts His word to us so that we can follow it and be saved from destruction.
In turn, we love God by following His commandments.
我們在教會強調愛，
但這必須是一種明辨是非的愛，能夠分別真理與虛假。
神的愛與真理不可分離。
祂在祂聖言中顯明祂的慈愛，
並傳達祂聖言給我們，使我們能夠遵行，免於毀滅而得救。
反過來，我們遵守祂的誡命來愛神。
Knowing this, let us be sanctified by the truth,
ensuring we follow the same gospel preached by the apostles,
which aligns with God's principles throughout the Bible.
Allow God's word to take root in our hearts to illuminate our path,
distinguish God's will from worldly ideals,
and bring sweetness and spiritual vitality to our lives.
Learning the word of God and constantly meditating on it is vital
to our survival in a world full of confusion and deceit.
As we walk on our journey of faith,
let us pray for the Holy Spirit to guard us with the truth
and keep us in the love of the Lord Jesus.
明白了這一點，讓我們因真理而潔淨成聖，
確保自已遵循使徒們所傳的福音，
透過聖經符合神的原則。
讓神的話語於我們心中紮根，照亮我們的道路，
能夠分辨神的旨意與世俗的想法，
並給我們的生活帶來甜蜜和屬靈的活力。
學習並不斷思想神的話語是非常重要的，
可讓我們存活於在這個充滿混亂和欺騙的世界。
在我們行走自已信仰的旅程中，
讓我們祈求聖靈以真理保守我們，
並在主耶穌的愛中保守我們。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)