發表文章

目前顯示的是 2月, 2017的文章

Sin on dating a non-Christian II

Why should Paul say this in 1 Cor. 7:39 if it is our freedom to marry a Christian or not? 7:39 [hb5]  丈 夫 活 著 的 時 候 、 妻 子 是 被 約 束 的 . 丈 夫 若 死 了 、 妻 子 就 可 以 自 由 、 隨 意 再 嫁 . 只 是 要 嫁 這 在 主 裡 面 的 人 。     [kjv]  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.     [bbe]  It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian. At the same time, I see this is just Paul's opinion in the whole chapter. We can respect his view as an apostle's view.  But in 2 Cor. 6, it is quite clear that we should not yoke ourselves with that infidel. As Sis. Beth said, "what yoke is more personal and last long as marriage?" 6:14 [hb5]  你 們 和 不 信 的 原 不 相 配 、 不 要 同 負 一 軛 . 義 和 不 義 有 甚 麼 相 交 呢 . 光 明 和 黑 暗 有 甚 麼 相 通 呢 .     [kjv]  Be ye not unequally yoked together w

Sin on dating a non-Christian I

Last night Pang and I talked again. He still thinks it is not a sin to date a non-Christian though it is very unwise.  His point is that even a Christian can be ungodly, and an unbeliever can be heading toward a good Christian. To marry a Christian or not is left to us to judge case by case.  I asked him if we have faith in God, shouldn't we wait until we see that "candidate" do accept the truth? Why should we risk our relationship just because we think he/she might be converted by "my good behaviour" in marriage?  First of all, if we choose to date or marry an unbeliever, rather than waiting upon Lord's provision for that faithful one, we might have shown the world our insufficient faith in God.  6:14 [hb5]  你 們 和 不 信 的 原 不 相 配 、 不 要 同 負 一 軛 . 義 和 不 義 有 甚 麼 相 交 呢 . 光 明 和 黑 暗 有 甚 麼 相 通 呢 .     [kjv]  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light w

Singing Praises to God

圖片
From: https://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/admin/assignments/1284161/take Singing Praises to God On the night before Jesus was killed, he and his apostles " sang a song and then went out to the Mount of Olives" (Matthew 26:30). Even under the shadow of the cross, Jesus sang praises to his Father. In Philippi, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and thrown into jail. The jailer put them far inside the jail and tied their feet between two large blocks of wood. But, "about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God" (Acts 16:25). The Scriptures say, "Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19). We don’t know the difference between Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. It is possible that "Psalms" were Old Testament poems set to music, that "hymns" were praises sung to God, and that "spiritual songs" were songs

和非基督徒交往不是罪?

圖片
今早騎車一直在想這問題 1. 選擇非基督徒做自己的男友或女友,已經違反聖經了。 如果我們真的愛神相信神,真的愛那位吸引我們的對象, 我們應向那位朋友傳福音,而不是為了虛榮心、感官享受、 自己的安全感等,便毅然和她/他交往。我的經驗是, 他已經看到我願意犧牲許多時間和心力和他交往, 那麼他信不信基督,又有時麼差呢? 反正他已經享有我對他的寵愛和關注,縱然我自己仍去教會、禱告、 讀經,但是至少有一半的身體和心靈被這段關係佔據著, 我心知肚明,我不過是在和魔鬼妥協, 在羞愧又自私地想得到世界上的樂趣,在自以為是的欺騙我的神。 那是一種危險的景況,好似在和魔鬼擁抱跳舞。 Matth 10:14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Js 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 2. 不適合結婚,為何交往? 基督徒的交往,是在為婚姻做準備,不然,大家可以做同事、朋友、 筆友、網友,利用身體上的距離避開試探,用文字、 語音來分享聖經,為他/她禱告,測試對方是否值得花時間交通。 神要我們傳福音,要利用時間服事祂, 而不是追求世界的刺激和快樂, 當我們願意控制和忍耐自己的情慾和驕傲,祈求神的眷顧, 神會為我們預備一個同樣努力在過基督徒生活的主內伴侶。相對的, 一位真正愛我們性格的朋友,必然會看到我們的堅持, 而思索反省生命的意義和生活的原則, 那麼我們就有機會贏得對方的靈魂,再考慮是否與對方交往了。 2Cor. 6:14-15  14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousn

聖誕節的迷思

圖片
By Don Blackwell (Chinese: William Chen)  只花你18分鐘的時間,我要為你解開「聖誕節的迷思」! 12 月25日,2016年台北基督的教會講道分享: 對許多人而言,聖誕節是他們一年中最喜愛的日子,他們喜愛這節期的音樂、旅遊,以及和親朋好友可以聚在一起。節期的氣氛、佈置、以及聖誕大餐,這也是孩子的最愛;學生放假,交換禮物,好不熱鬧!這是讓人情緒激動的節期,正如有首歌提到:「這是一年中最美的時刻」。但是,對某些人而言,這也是一年中最難過的時刻,因為這時候,他們會感到格外的孤獨!對那些失去親朋好友的人而言,這節期是傷感的,因為他們會回憶起以前跟他們聚在一起時的美好時光,所以,此刻的心情是百味雜陳! 但是對於新約的基督徒而言,可能是令人困擾的節期,因為他們會看到這樣的廣告:「耶穌就是這節慶的理由」;但是,他們在聖經裡卻找不到證據;而且,一些節目也在此時演出耶穌誕生的影片,但他們又不確定這是否恰當?他們想要享受這節日所帶來的歡樂,但又不想要做出一些不對的事情;這真是令人困擾啊! 今天,我們就要來探討這個問題。我們要來談談有關聖誕節的迷思;讓我們來探討以下三項迷思: 1. 基督誕生的迷思 2. 「聖誕」(Christmas) 這字義的迷思 3. 慶祝聖誕節的迷思 一、有關基督誕生的迷思 一般談到基督誕生的故事是這樣說的: 「約在兩千年前,在12月25日的晚上,馬利亞騎上一頭驢和約瑟前往伯利恒去,那時她已近臨盆;在這緊急狀況之下,所有的旅店都客滿了而不能讓他們入住,逼不得已,她只好在馬槽裡把耶穌生下來了。天使向牧羊人高聲歌唱,他們就來到耶穌身旁;然後,有三個王分別騎在三頭駱駝上,來到馬槽敬拜這位未來的萬王之王。」 你看!這故事有什麼問題?它幾乎全說錯了!耶穌出生的故事已被傳講、表演、歌頌了無數次;這扭曲的故事在書裡以及在電影裡一再地被傳揚。當然,只有在聖經裡才能找到這故事的真像;所以,我們現在要來檢驗這個迷思,看看聖經到底是這麼說的。有些情節是重要的,有些就沒那麼重要;但是,我所要傳達的是,常常我們所相信的,並非是從聖經而來的,而是從別人那邊聽來的!所以,要找到事實的真像,就要看聖經是怎麼說的! 現在就請翻到路加福音第2章,第一項迷思中的第一點,有關耶穌的誕生,傳說中的故事是說:馬利亞騎在

為什麼人拒絕來就耶穌?

圖片
Translated: William Chen (Original: Wayne Jackson) 為什麼人拒絕來就耶穌? 耶穌在一個猶太重要節日 – 很可能是逾越節,來到耶路撒冷,他遇到一個已經病了38年的人。主來到這個人面前問他是否想要得醫治?在一番對話之後,耶穌對他說:「起來,拿你的褥子走吧!」那人立刻痊愈,就拿起褥子來走了。(約5:1-9) 這件神蹟是在安息日發生的,之後,猶太人就控訴耶穌違反了摩西律法。使徒約翰記載這段故事,也告訴讀者,猶太人恨耶穌,越發想要殺他 (約5:10-18)。 耶穌與他們有一番辯論,要證明他與父神的關係,他最後告訴猶太人:「 你們查考聖經,因你們以為內中有永生;給我作見證的就是這經。然而,你們不肯到我這裡來得生命」(約5:39-40) 。這一段話,隱藏著許多真理。 耶穌這一句話也道出了令人震驚的事實:人有可能努力查考聖經,卻不認識耶穌基督!許多猶太領袖,尤其是文士,他們以熟讀經文而自傲;但是,為什麼他們無法認清拿撒勒人耶穌就是那位神所應許的彌賽亞呢?舊約不是充滿了彌賽亞的預言嗎?還記得耶穌曾說過:「摩西的律法、先知的書,和詩篇上所記的,凡指著我的話都必須應驗」(路24:44) 。 猶太人無法看見舊約裡的基督,其原因正如保羅所言: 「每逢誦讀摩西書的時候,帕子還在他們心上」(林後3:15) !他們對於彌賽亞那先入為主的認知,矇敝了他們的心眼,而無法客觀地評估主耶穌的特質、他的道以及他所行的神蹟。我們想到了今天各宗派的學者,花了無數的時間熟悉希伯來文、亞蘭文、希臘文,也研究聖經的地理、文化,也成了解經學專家;但是,卻對於神的兒子之真正知識卻無比地缺乏。這真是令人驚訝,也令人傷心! 有知識而沒有行動,只能帶來更重的刑罰;另一方面,基督很肯定地說了一項事實,離開了知識,就沒有永生!在這泛基督徒充斥的世代裡,人心多有受假道理的污染,真理有必要再次強調。神的兒子如此宣稱:「我就是道路、真理、生命;若不藉著我,沒有人能到父那裡去」(約14:6)。除了耶穌,沒有其他人可提供救恩:「除他以外,別無拯救;因為在天下人間,沒有賜下別的名,我們可以靠著得救」(徒4:12)。 若這聽起來像是是心胸狹窄的話,說實在的,也的確如此!問題不在於頑固偏執,而在於真理是什麼。基督的話是真理嗎?若是真理,我們就必須聽從,因為,

Temple of the Holy Spirit

圖片
From: www.worldenglishinstitute.org     Temple of the Holy Spirit  The miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased, but the Holy Spirit still lives and works in the church today. On the day of Pentecost, Peter promised that penitent, baptized believers would "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Then he said, "This promise is for you, and for your children and for the people who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself" (Acts 2:39). This promise was not only for those people. It was also for their children and their children's children. It was for people in Jerusalem and people far away. It was for everyone, in every place, in every age—everyone that the Lord our God calls to himself. All people who change their hearts and lives and are baptized into Christ receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. God Gives the Spirit to All Who Obey Him The church in Jerusalem became so popular that the Jewish high priest and his f

Church Wedding or Official Registration First?

圖片
Sis. B: It is good to make your contract with each other (say your vows) before witnesses--especially church members, but you can do that anywhere.  There is no law to say it has to be done in a church building.  If you write out your own vows to each other and ask the preacher or legal assistant to read those aloud as you repeat, it can be done in your home even. Bro. A: Marriage occurs in the courts of heaven (Mt. 19.6); government registration is simply an  expedient.  Even if no government exists, marriage could still take place.  Nevertheless, we are instructed to be “ wise as serpents, and harmless as doves ” (Mt. 10.16). Registering with the government is wise, financially, socially, etc. Furthermore, it matters not what comes first (church ceremony or government registration).

Proverbs 24:4-7

圖片
24:4 [hb5]  其 中 因 知 識 充 滿 各 樣 美 好 寶 貴 的 財 物 。     [kjv]  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.     [bbe]  And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things. 24:5 [hb5]  智 慧 人 大 有 能 力 . 有 知 識 的 人 、 力 上 加 力 。     [kjv]  A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.     [bbe]  A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater. Thought: I wonder if the "knowledge" means those of the world and the Bible . The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon: Knowledge  Strong's Number:  01847 Original Word Word Origin t[d from ( 03045 ) Transliterated Word TDNT  Entry Da`ath TWOT - 848c Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech dah'-ath   Noun Definition knowledge knowledge, perception, skill discernment, understanding, wisdom King James Word Usage - Total:  93 knowledge 82, know 6, cunning 1, unwittingly 2 + ( 01097 ) 2, ignorantly +