10. Manna issue 57 - In the World, not of the World 身處於世，卻不屬世
How we can live out this seemingly paradoxical idea.
我們如何實踐這看似矛盾的理念？
Bright H
“I do not pray that you should take them out of the world,
but that You should keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
(Jn 17:15, 16)
“15我不求你叫他們離開世界，
只求你保守他們脫離那惡者（或作：脫離罪惡）。
16他們不屬世界，正如我不屬世界一樣。
17求你用真理使他們成聖；你的道就是真理。”
(約 17：15-16)
This is part of the final intercessory prayer of the Lord Jesus
just before His arrest and consequent crucifixion.
Being a prayer immediately prior to our Lord’s physical death,
it reveals His deepest concern for His disciples.
I do not pray that you should take them out of the world…
they are not of the world.
這是主耶穌最後代禱的一部分，
就在祂被捕及其後釘十字架之前。
就是這禱告緊臨在我們主耶穌肉身死亡之前，
它展現了祂自已對門徒最深切的關心。
我不求你該把他們帶離世界…
因為他們不屬世界。
To be in this world, and yet not of this world
—this seemingly paradoxical theme continues to resonate
through many a Christian sermon, down the generations.
身處這個世界，然卻不屬於此世
—這個看似矛盾的主題不斷引起共鳴，
經由許多基督教講道，傳播世代。
Jesus is God incarnate.
He came from heaven to bring truth and peace.
In terms of the authority and fame He wielded while on earth,
Jesus was not like an earthly king.
When the multitudes pushed for Him to become their king,
Jesus immediately retreated.
He was in this world to save man from the corruption of this fallen world,
not to become a part of it.
耶穌是神道成肉身。
祂從天而降，帶來真理與和平安。
就耶穌在世時所掌握的權柄和聲譽來看，
祂並不像世上的君王。
當群眾擁立祂為王時，
耶穌立刻退卻了。
祂來到世界是為了拯救世人脫離這墮落世界的敗壞，
而不是成為這世界的一部分。
CHOSEN TO NOT BELONG 選擇不屬
The world lies under the sway of the wicked one
(1 Jn 5:19).
It continues down the path of corruption after the fall of mankind
when Adam sinned against God.
19全世界都臥在那惡者手下。
(約壹 5：19)
自人類墮落之後，那時亞當得罪神，世界就一直走在墮落的路上。
With Satan as the king of the world,
we see how the world becomes more corrupt by the day.
Almost daily, we read or hear of unfathomable atrocities or freak crimes committed.
Immorality and darkness keep a tight rein on this world.
撒旦是世界之王，
我們可見世界是如何日益墮落。
幾乎每一天，我們都能讀到或聽到滔天大罪或駭人聽聞的罪行。
不道德和黑暗牢牢掌控著這個世界。
In the midst of corruption,
God wants to preserve for Himself a special group of people,
righteous and holy, not succumbing to the evil of the world.
身處於腐敗之中，
神想為自己保留一群特別的人，
正直又聖潔，不向世間的邪惡屈服。
Throughout history, God has always chosen one person, one lineage,
to be separate, to be preserved as His own.
As early as one generation after Adam,
God demonstrated His pattern of salvation.
He found Abel, son of Adam, a righteous man and showed him favor.
After Abel was killed by Cain, God chose Seth.
Thereafter, we see the emergence of Noah,
then Abraham, down to the lineage of David.
縱觀歷史，神總是揀選一個人，一個家族血脈，
分別為聖，可保守為祂的子民。
早在亞當之後的那一世代，
神就展現了祂救贖的模式。
祂找到了亞當的兒子亞伯，一個義人，並恩待他。
該隱殺害亞伯之後，神揀選了賽特。
此後，我們看到了挪亞的出現，
然後是亞伯拉罕，一直到大衛的血脈後裔。
Whenever God chose His special people,
He made a covenant with them.
Bringing the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt,
God said to them,
自從神揀選了祂的子民，
祂就與他們立約。
將以色列人脫離埃及的奴役，
神對他們說：
“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant,
then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people;
for all the earth is Mine.”
(Ex 19:4, 5)
“4我向埃及人所行的事，你們都看見了，
且看見我如鷹將你們背在翅膀上，帶來歸我。
5如今你們若實在聽從我的話，遵守我的約，
就要在萬民中作屬我的子民，
因為全地都是我的。”
(出 19：4-5)
To be chosen as God’s special people
means that we are part of the covenant to be a royal priesthood,
to be holy towards God.
要得到揀選為神的子民，
代表了我們就是立約的一部分，成為君尊的祭司，
在神面前保持聖潔。
TO BE A PART OF THE COVENANT 成為神約的成員
Today, we are this chosen people.
When we are baptized, we are washed in the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
We belong to Jesus, the descendant of David,
so we are a special people of God.
今日，我們就是這蒙揀選的子民。
當我們受洗了，我們就在耶穌基督的寶血中受洗。
我們屬於耶穌，大衛的後裔，
所以我們是神特別的子民。
We also become part of the covenant
in that we agree to be a sanctified people, to live in His light.
This covenant gives us the hope of eternal life
and the guidance and truth of the Lord.
We belong to Him, not to the world.
我們也成為立約的一部分，
在其中，我們同意成為聖潔的子民，活在祂的光中。
這約賜給我們永生的盼望，
以及主耶和華的指引和真理。
我們屬於祂，不屬於這個世界。
It is far too easy to see only the requirements of the covenant
and forget the blessings that come with it.
But let us not treat lightly the manifold grace embedded in this covenant.
As God’s people, Satan has no hold over us.
If the Lord Jesus does not allow it,
not one strand of hair on our heads will be touched
because we are under His protection.
Because we are His.
我們很容易只看到聖約的要求，
卻忘了隨之而來的祝福。
但我們切不可輕忽這聖約所蘊含的豐盛恩典。
作為神的子民，撒但無法轄制我們。
若主耶穌沒有允許，
我們連一根頭髮都不會被觸碰，
因為我們受祂的保護。
因為我們屬於祂。
In this journey of faith,
many have witnessed and experienced hindrances
when they resolve to come before the Lord
to receive baptism and be a part of His kingdom.
It is no wonder that Satan wants to thwart any attempt to come before God.
Spiritually speaking,
once a person is baptized and washed by the blood of Christ,
Satan cannot touch him.
在這段信仰之旅中，
許多人都曾目睹並經歷阻礙，
在他們決心要來到主面前，
來接受洗禮，成為祂國度的一份子。
難怪撒旦想要阻撓任何人來到神面前的嘗試。
從屬靈的角度來說，
若一個人受洗了，得到基督寶血洗淨，
撒旦就無法再傷害他。
LIVING LIFE APART FROM THE WORLD 過著脫離世俗的生活
So how does one live in this world
but not belong to this world?
We can easily avoid being tainted by wickedness
if we isolate ourselves and live an ascetic life on some mountain.
Similarly, we see many spiritual lives at their zeniths,
with fasting and long prayers and extensive Bible reading, at training seminars.
那麼，一個人要如何生活在這個世界上，
而卻不屬於這個世界呢？
如果我們與世隔絕，在某個山上過著苦行僧的生活，
就能輕易避免被邪惡玷污。
同樣的，我們也看到許多人靈修生活處於巔峰，
會禁食，長時間禱告和廣泛閱讀聖經，參加各種講習會。
The essence and goal of such seminars,
however, is not for us to isolate ourselves.
We need to be in the world, carrying the light of Christ.
Jesus wants us to be in the world
so that we can influence it as He did while on earth.
然而，這種講習會的本質和目標，
並非要讓我們與世隔絕。
我們需要身處世間，傳遞基督之光。
耶穌希望我們身處於世，
好讓我們能像祂在世時那樣影響世界。
Even as we try to influence the world,
things in this world
—what we see and hear
—will inadvertently find ways to influence our thoughts and actions.
Our hearts have to be truly turned towards the Lord.
Judas Iscariot followed the Lord Jesus for three years.
Yet, his heart never did convert to the Lord.
His heart completely belonged to the world,
overwhelmed by greed.
即使我們試著影響世界，
世間萬物
—我們所見所聞的事物
—也會在無意間找到方式來影響我們的思想和行為。
我們的心必須真正歸向主。
加略人猶大特跟隨主耶穌三年。
然而，他內心始終從未歸向主。
他的內心完全屬於世界，
為貪婪所吞噬。
It is too easy to fall for the many things in this world.
Wealth, sexual desires, food
—this world has much to offer when it comes to leading our hearts astray.
Greed is the state of hankering after things beyond what we need.
Crucifying our desires on the cross
becomes a task we need to engage in daily.
這個世界很容易就沉迷於許多的事物。
財富，性慾，美食
—這個世界有很多事物可以誘惑我們，要誤導我們內心。
貪婪是超出自已所需仍渴求許多事物的狀態。
將自已的慾望釘十字架，
成為我們每天都需要進行的任務。
In addition to overcoming our greedy desires,
we should expect to be rejected by this world
when we do not belong to it.
“[A]nd the world has hated them
because they are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world”
(Jn 17:14).
除了克服自已貪婪的慾望之外，
我們該預料到受這世界的排斥，
當我們不屬於這個世界。
“14世界又恨他們；
因為他們不屬世界，
正如我不屬世界一樣。”
(約 17：14)
Jesus is the light.
The world is full of darkness,
so it rejected the light and hated it.
Similarly, we cannot expect to be popular with people
who engage in activities of darkness.
耶穌就是光。
世界充滿了黑暗，
所以它拒絕光明，憎恨光明。
同樣的，我們不能指望受人的歡迎，
因為他們從事黑暗的活動。
As children of God,
we will find life tedious if we do not overcome this world.
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them,
because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”
(1 Jn 4:4).
By holding on to God, we can overcome this world.
身為神的兒女，
如果我們不能戰勝這個世界，就會覺得生活枯燥乏味。
“4小子們哪，你們是屬神的，並且勝了他們；
因為那在你們裡面的，比那在世界上的更大。 ”
(約壹 4：4)
只要緊緊抓住神，我們就能戰勝這個世界。
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is he who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
(1 Jn 5:4, 5)
4因為凡從神生的，就勝過世界；
使我們勝了世界的，就是我們的信心。
5勝過世界的是誰呢？
不是那信耶穌是神兒子的麼？
(約壹 5:4-5)
OVERCOMING THE WORLD 勝過世界
To overcome the world is to transcend those things
that do not have a place in the kingdom of God,
whatever form it takes.
Overcoming the world is not as complicated
as it is sometimes made out to be.
There are basic principles that underpin any situation:
要戰勝世界，就是要超越這些事物，
他們在神的國度沒有立足之地，
無論是何種形式。
戰勝世界並不那麼複雜，
像人們有時所說的那樣。
任何情況下都有其基本的原則：
Obedience to the Word of God 順從神的話語
“Sanctify them by Your truth.
Your word is truth”
(Jn 17:17).
Life would be less of a struggle
if we resolve to obey God’s truth without compromise.
The kind of life we lead will then be a joyful one.
“17求你用真理使他們成聖；
你的道就是真理。”
(約 17：17)
生活就會輕鬆許多，
如果我們決心毫不妥協順服神的真理，。
那麼我們所過的生活將會充滿喜樂。
How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word…
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
(Ps 119:9, 11)
9少年人用甚麼潔淨他的行為呢？
是要遵行你的話！
11我將你的話藏在心裡，
免得我得罪你。
(詩 119：9，11)
The word of God is our protection against the world.
When the word of God dwells richly in our hearts,
we will have clear vision as to what is right and wrong.
神的話語是我們抵禦世界的保護。
當神的話語豐豐富富住在我們內心時，
我們就能有可清楚分辨是非對錯的視野。
The word of God is the sword of the Holy Spirit.
It is our defense against Satan
and our source of strength in resisting temptations.
神的話語是聖靈的寶劍。
它是我們抵禦撒旦的防禦，
也是我們抵擋引誘的力量源頭。
The Lord Jesus used the Scriptures
to counter the devious suggestions of the devil.
The Scriptures are food for angels;
God’s words are for savoring.
Bible reading is not meant for cursory skimming
so as to get through quickly.
It is only when the words in the Bible possess significance in our hearts
that the word of God can become a source of strength for us.
主耶穌用聖經，
來抵擋魔鬼的詭計。
聖經是天使的食物；
神的話語需要細細品味。
讀經不應是匆匆略讀，
只為了可快速通讀。
只有當聖經的話語在我們心中具有意義時，
神的話語才能成為我們力量的源頭。
Prayers with Intercession 代禱
Living our lives prayerfully is another way to help us overcome the world.
Prayers, especially intercessory prayers,
go a long way toward shielding us from the darts of Satan.
The Lord Jesus prayed for Peter when Satan asked to have him,
as one would sift wheat.
內心虔誠禱告生活是幫助我們克服世界的另一種方式。
禱告，尤其是代禱，
可以沿途一直保護我們免於撒旦的飛鏢攻擊。
當撒旦想要除掉彼得時，主耶穌為他禱告，
就如同篩麥子一樣。
Living under the influence of worldly values
can be likened to being sifted as wheat.
In the same way, Jesus is interceding for us today.
We should intercede for other brothers and sisters in turn.
生活在世俗價值觀的影響下，
就好像被篩麥子一樣。
同樣的，耶穌今日也都在為我們代禱。
我們也應該反過來為其他的弟兄姐妹代求。
The power of intercessory prayer cannot be overstated.
Moses’ prayer on behalf of the Israelites quenched the anger of God.
Jeremiah’s tears and prayers moved God
to hold back offensive foreign forces.
代禱的力量不容小覷。
摩西為以色列人禱告，平息了神的憤怒。
耶利米的眼淚和禱告感動了神，
可以阻止侵略的外邦軍隊。
Today, intercessory prayers remain just as effective.
Brothers and sisters receive the Holy Spirit
when others fast and pray with them.
Prayers of worried parents have turned back the feet of many
who were crossing the border to unpardonable sins.
今日，代禱如今依然有效。
弟兄姐妹領受聖靈，
當有其他人與他們禁食禱告。
憂心父母的禱告，早已使許多兒童回歸，
他們正跨越那不可饒恕之罪的邊界。
Close-knit Fellowship with Brethren 弟兄姐妹緊密交織的團契
“[I pray] also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You...”
(Jn 17:20, 21)
“20[我]也為那些因他們的話信我的人祈求，
21使他們都合而為一。正如你父在我裡面，我在你裡面。”
(約 17：20-21)
Once, in response to strife between His disciples,
the Lord Jesus cited that even the devils are united as one in Satan’s kingdom.
What is most detrimental to the kingdom of God is division among the brethren,
for the devil will then be able to devour the members one by one.
Fellowship in the church therefore becomes of utmost importance.
有一次，為了回應祂門徒之間的紛爭，
主耶穌引用，即使在撒但的國度連魔鬼都合一。
對神的國最有害的莫過於弟兄姐妹的分裂，
那時魔鬼就會可以逐一吞噬信徒。
因此，教會的團契變得至關重要。
Each of us has an assignment to ensure
that we fit in church and to reach out to those
who may not be as fortunate.
Without fellowship with brothers and sisters,
our walk of faith is a very lonely one,
and it is easy for us to give up.
我們每個人都肩負著一項使命要確保，
自己會融入教會，並關懷那些人，
他們可能沒有那麼的幸運。
若沒有與弟兄姐妹有團契，
我們的信仰之路將會非常孤獨，
而且我們很容易就放棄。
Family service is one way to generate fellowship with one another.
A few families who live in close proximity to one another
ought to gather together for Bible reading and prayers.
In addition, such small groups can share problems and help one another out.
家庭聚會是增進彼此團契情誼的一種方式。
有幾個彼此居住相近的家庭，
應該聚在一起讀經禱告。
此外，這樣的小組可以分享彼此的問題，彼此幫忙。
When church members are bonded together,
Satan will find it difficult to attack.
On the other hand, if a church is cold and love cannot be found,
members will not have any sense of belonging.
When members do not become as one,
individual members will not be able to overcome this world
and will succumb to the devil’s ploys.
當教會信徒團結一致時，
撒旦就會發現難以攻擊。
反之，如果教會很冷漠，缺乏愛心，
信徒就會缺乏歸屬感。
當信徒不能合一時，
各別信徒就無法戰勝這個世界，
最終會落入魔鬼的圈套。
This world indeed is dark,
but we are the light of the world.
One small flame can push back much darkness.
But let us not be only that one small candle,
because a small candle can easily be extinguished
by a strong gust of wind.
Let us instead be a strong beam of light,
just as our Lord Jesus is the light of the world.
這個世界的確很黑暗，
但我們是這個世界之光。
一簇小火焰就可以驅退許多黑暗。
但我們不要只做那簇小火燭，
因為小火燭很容易被吹熄，
因有一陣強風吹過。
讓我們反成為一道明亮的光束，
正如我們主耶穌是世界的光。
May we all rise above this world of corruption and perversity
and work out our salvation by not belonging to this world.
願我們都能升高超越這腐敗變態的世界，
並且努力透過不屬這個世界來獲得自已的救贖。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)