每日读经

哥林多前书 第7章 - 合宜之分

人生大智慧 - 行事合宜

|

9 分钟阅读

古人云:“差若毫厘,谬以千里。”又云:“过犹不及。”人生中的许多事犹如一杆天平,太多或太少都会使之倾斜。恰如其分是一种难得的智慧。保罗在哥林多前书7章中也谈到了男女之间的合宜之道。虽不是神所指示的白纸黑字的真理,但却蕴含着保罗丰富的经验和他对哥林多信徒如同父亲般的爱。

从保罗的信中可以看到哥林多教会并不是一个完美的教会,甚至在男女关系的事上他们可以称得上是反面的例子。在哥林多前书5章的一开始,保罗就提到了哥林多教会中有淫乱的事。更有甚者与继母发生乱伦的关系。这一切都是神所憎恶的,也是使徒们所明令禁止信主的外邦人的 (徒15:29)。正如在罗马书1章所提到的他们的男女都把顺性的用处变为了逆性的用处。这也是为什么保罗要花如此长的篇幅来纠正他们的错误。那么保罗所提到的男女之间的合宜之分都有哪些呢?

1. 顺从自然的规律。

自然非指人的自然想法,而是神创造世界时的自然之道。当神创造亚当时,祂看亚当一个人是不好的,于是给他创造了一个配偶名叫夏娃。一男一女,互相配合,鸾凤和鸣,合为一体。这也是神创造婚姻的本意。神也赐予了夫妻有这个能力来繁衍后代,这样肉体上的相交是神所喜悦的,也是罗马书1章中所提到的”顺性”。那么何为逆性呢?逆性的一个极端的表现是与非配偶的异性,甚至于同性或者动物发生性关系。如此的人是欲火攻心。另一个极端的表现就是极度的”性洁癖”甚至”性冷淡”。虽已结婚,却还是与配偶划清界限。这样的行为是把神所设立的神圣的连结当作是污秽的,认为自己独身比夫妻一体强。保罗也责备了这一点:丈夫和妻子都没有权柄来主张自己的身体” (林前7:4),基督徒应当顺从神赐予人的自然功能进行圣洁的结合,繁衍后代。

2. 至死不渝

在许多的婚礼上,夫妻双方都会表达对爱情的坚定承诺,并说出”直到死亡才能将两人分开“的感人誓言。但如果我们观察现今的社会,离婚的现象变得越来越普遍。在葡萄牙离婚率甚至高达94%!这样的行为显然是神所恨恶的。神配合的,人不可分开 (马太19:6)。这也是保罗所提醒哥林多教会的。妻子不可离开丈夫,丈夫也不可离开妻子。就算离开,也不可再嫁/娶 (林前7:10-11)。虽然神的旨意是要我们在主里通婚,但如果我们因着一时的软弱嫁娶了外邦,神也不一定要我们与另一半分开。相反地,如果另一半对我们忠心,也敬畏神,我们就不该离弃他。神给我们的任务可能是要带领我们的另一半来认识祂,成为神的儿女。我们也应该展示出当有的爱心与信心。在家里做信仰上的好榜样,建立家庭祭坛。然而,如果我们的外邦的另一半是不忠的,保罗的意思是就让他离去。因为在这条婚姻的道路上,他已经选择了另负它轭。那么义和不义就不该相交 (林后6:14)。神说喜悦的婚姻是圣洁的,无瑕疵的,彼此造就、帮扶,以一体的心志奔跑这条天国道路的。这种对配偶至死不渝的爱情也体现出我们对神的至死忠心。

3. 接受神的旨意

神的身体中有许多的肢体,神对我们每一个肢体都有祂的旨意。虽然婚姻是神所设定的,但并不是每一个人都领受的。有人是因神的国成为阉人的 (马太19:12),如同使徒保罗一般,为福音打那美好的仗一生没有成家。虽说一个人独居是不好的,但如果我们可以清心,不被情欲所牢笼,专为主的事所挂虑,那么在神的眼中,我们也是蒙祂喜悦的。我们就如同旧约中的拿细耳人蒙神特别的呼召。但对于其他人如果神的旨意是要我们建立家庭,那我们就不要刻意逃避婚姻,以免为魔鬼留地步。

作为总结,保罗所提到的合宜之分适用在所有人身上,无论男女。关键在于我们蒙召时是什么身份,就要在主面前守住这身份 (林前7:20)。如果神是让我们嫁娶的,那我们就要在婚姻上让另一半喜悦,顺从自然的规律,并且至死不渝。以夫妻一体的身份来行这奔往永生的路程。相反的,如果神要我们孤身一人,那我们就要洁身自好,殷勤服事主,对神忠心,守住这身份。无论神给我们什么样的身份,我们的目标就是要得着那永生的冠冕。

相关话题

相关内容

Can I Go To Any Church?

Can I Go To Any Church?

Christianity today is very divided and is vastly different from the church established by the apostles. There are many denominations, each interpreting the Bible in their own way. Yet to most Christians, many of these differences don’t matter and all churches still collectively belong to the body of Christ. As such, they believe that as long as one is Christian, they can be saved. I once invited a Christian friend to church. He was confused and said, “But… I already go to a church, why don’t you ask others who aren’t Christians?” Is it true that you can go to any church, and that you can be saved as long as you are Christian? Are all churches part of the body of Christ? Some Christians believe that, which is why it does not matter which church you go to. “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23 NKJV “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18 NKJV It is a biblical concept that the church is the body of Christ, and Christ is head of the church. The bible goes on to say the following: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. Is this reflected by all of Christianity today? Can we say we have one baptism today? Different churches preach different things about baptism. Some are for infant baptism, some are against it. Different churches have different takes on how baptism is conducted and whether it pertains to salvation. Is this considered “One baptism”, as it should be in the body of Christ? This points us to the issue of one Spirit. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that the church was established on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). In the Acts of the Apostles, we also see clearly how the Holy Spirit guided the actions of the apostles (Acts 16:6). Moreover, the Holy Spirit was also referred to as the Spirit of Truth by the Lord Jesus Himself: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13 NKJV If all churches are led by and established by the one Holy Spirit, how is it that there are so many versions of “truth”? As mentioned earlier, different churches have different takes on baptism. Other differences include tongue speaking. Some churches speak in tongues, while some don’t, who instead claim that tongues have ceased. Some churches hold services on the Sabbath and uphold it is a holy day, while most churches worship on a Sunday and claim that it is not important to worship on the Sabbath. Are all these contradictory pieces of information all from the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth? This brings me to my next point: One faith. Can we all say that we have the one same faith, if we have so many differences in our doctrines? Some Christians may argue that we can say we have the same faith, because we all believe in the same Lord Jesus who has given us salvation. These differences in doctrines do not matter. This, I think, is the fundamental reason most may give to justify why going to any church is fine. And they quote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV Yes, as written above, it is through believing in Jesus that we can be saved. But is it right to say that nothing else matters? Is that all the Bible says about being saved? Did not Jesus also say, for example, that baptism is necessary for salvation in Mark 16:16? Can believing that baptism is necessary for salvation, and not believing that baptism is necessary for salvation, be considered to be the same faith, simply beacuse both parties believe in Jesus Christ? We can see how highly Paul esteems the oneness of the gospel in his warning to the Galatians, who were pressured to keep the Jewish law, including circumcision: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9 NKJV Let us look at what the Lord Jesus once said, which some may find shocking: ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV We see here that the Lord Jesus has denied salvation to these people, who clearly believed in Him! If we truly believe in what Jesus says here, we ought to realise that it is not a mere belief and confession in Jesus that saves. If we say we believe in Jesus, yet do not believe in what He says, for example, regarding baptism for salvation, can we really say we believe in Him? This brings us to the last point: One body. If all churches were established by the Holy Spirit, there will not be so many versions of doctrines. These different beliefs cannot all be considered to be one faith, grouped under the umbrella of “believing in Jesus Christ”. There is only one gospel, as Paul says. There is only one complete truth that saves. After all, doesn’t it make sense that Jesus has only one message of salvation for us in the Bible, that should not be open to human interpretation, but rather by revelation of the Holy Spirit? And the role of the church is to uphold the truth! As Paul writes: “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I Timothy 3:15 NKJV The church is meant to be the pillar and ground of the truth, that is, to uphold the truth. If these churches do not have the truth, how then can they be considered to be the church of God, the body of Christ, in the Bible? As mentioned in Ephesians 4, there is one faith and one body. That means there is one church with the one complete truth that saves. Do you think you can be saved if you go to a church that does not have the complete truth of salvation, and is not truly part of the body of Christ? Today the True Jesus Church believes that we are the one true church of God that preaches the complete truth, passed down by the apostles through the Bible. The True Jesus Church preaches that Baptism, Foot washing and Holy Communion are sacraments necessary for salvation. We also observe the Sabbath, and believe that receiving the Holy Spirit, evidenced by tongue speaking, is necessary for salvation. These doctrines, can all be substantiated by the Bible and it is the same one faith practiced by the Apostles in the Bible. These will not be discussed in detail in today’s article, but please do reach out to us if you are interested in the learning the truth of salvation.

《哥林多前书》 第1章的反思

《哥林多前书》 第1章的反思

在保罗写给哥林多教会的书信开头,他在问安中强调了自己因主耶稣基督的呼召而成为使徒,并劝勉信徒们认识到我们都在这一呼召中有份。他提醒我们,我们的信仰不是以自我为中心的,而是集体的,根植于耶稣基督。 他迅速指出哥林多教会中充满了纷争和骄傲。他们夸口说自己属保罗、亚波罗、矶法或基督。对此,保罗提出质问:“基督是分开的么?保罗为你们钉了十字架么?你们是奉保罗的名受洗么?” 这些纷争和分裂,反映了人类倾向于将个人差异和恩怨凌驾于福音的合一真理之上。因此,保罗对宗派主义的拒绝提醒他们,也提醒我们,要超越纷争,将我们的信仰专注于耶稣基督。 接着,保罗讲到了神的能力和智慧。他说:“因为十字架的道理,在那灭亡的人为愚拙,在我们得救的人却为神的大能。”《哥林多前书1:18》。世上的智慧可能会轻视通过耶稣被钉十字架而得救的观念。尽管这看起来是软弱的,保罗指出,这种在人眼中看似软弱的事,却正显明了神的大能。这一悖论向我们表明,神的智慧常常与人的逻辑相悖,也挑战我们思考。当神的旨意和计划似乎与我们的期待不符时,我们到底有多信靠他?十字架确实拆毁了人的骄傲,因为“神的愚拙总比人智慧;神的软弱总比人强壮。” 《哥林多前书1:25》 最后,保罗提到神拣选世上愚拙的、软弱的,为要使那些自以为聪明和强壮的人羞愧。我们生命中,神常常使用看似微不足道的事来成就他的旨意。在约翰福音第6章第9节中,一个小男孩所献上的便当看似毫无价值,但主耶稣却用它喂饱了五千人。神的能力和智慧,正是在人看为愚拙和软弱的事上彰显出来。 在一个高举骄傲与分裂的世界中,保罗劝勉我们要合一、谦卑,并倚靠主耶稣基督。愿一切荣耀归于主。

关于本会

我们是真耶稣教会,一间建立在耶稣与使徒们的教导上的全球性非宗派教会。藉由圣灵创立,我们的使命是把全备的救恩真理传向地极/世界尽头。

关于本会

We have four places of worship, and we gather for Sabbath and night worship services. We welcome you to join us for any of our in-person services!

参与崇拜聚会