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Featured image of 西番雅书 第一章 - 神的审判
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西番雅书 第一章 - 神的审判

西番雅书第 1 章的核心主题是神的审判。先知西番雅在约西亚作王期间传达了这些警告,那时约西亚王尚未带领犹大众人归向神。当时,犹大陷入了严重的属灵和道德败坏,因此神通过西番雅宣告即将降临的审判。 本章强调的主要罪之一是拜偶像。在第4至6节中,神表达了祂的愤怒,针对以下人群:敬拜巴力的人,异教的祭司,敬拜天上万象(太阳、月亮、星辰和行星)的人,既指着耶和华起誓,又指着玛勒堪(亚扪人的假神)起誓的人。 通过这些行为,犹大众人违反了神在《出埃及记》20章中颁布的前两条诫命。神早已在《申命记》8:19中警告以色列:“你若忘记耶和华—你的 神,随从别神,事奉敬拜,你们必定灭亡;这是我今日警戒你们的。”现在,通过西番雅再次重申这一警告,因犹大的偶像崇拜和不忠诚而向他们宣告审判。 值得注意的是,第五节谴责了那些试图同时事奉神和假神的人:“那些敬拜耶和华指着他起誓,又指着玛勒堪起誓的。”尽管有些人完全偏离了神,也有一些人轻微的偏离,他们在对神的忠诚上妥协,虽然没有完全弃绝神,但却试图同时崇拜神和偶像。这种行为仍然受到神的谴责。神要求他们全心全意的奉献,绝不容忍任何妥协。 神对我们全心奉献的期望今天仍然不变。祂所要求的,正是我们对祂完全的忠诚。西番雅的预言虽然直接预示了犹大将被巴比伦人毁灭,但也预表了最终的审判之日——那一天,我们每个人都要面对神的审判。犹大最终在巴比伦人手中的灭亡是对我们的警告,向我们展示了远离神的后果。我们必须从他们的错误中汲取教训,以免在自己的生命中遭受属灵的毁灭。 在我们忙碌的生活中,我们必须谨慎,不要让其他事情取代神的位置。虽然今天我们可能不会敬拜任何实体的偶像,但拜偶像可以以其他的形式存在。任何比神更占据我们注意力的事物——无论是成功、财富、人际关系,还是个人的野心——都可能成为我们的偶像。正如神因犹大对祂不专一的忠的忠诚而感到不悦,如果我们让任何事物摆在祂之上,祂同样会不喜悦我们的。 另一个重要的教训来自第八节,神在其中宣告对“首领和王子们”的审判。在以色列和犹大的历史中,常常是领导者和统治者使百姓陷入拜偶像和罪恶之中。虽然我们可能不是国王或王子,但我们许多人都被赋予领导的责任——无论是作为父母、教师、导师,还是教会里的其他领袖。在这些具有影响力和指导作用的职位上,我们必须努力引领他人走向神,而不是使他们远离神。 最后,第18节提醒我们:“他们的金银不能救他们。” 这再次提醒我们有关优先次序。再多的财富、成功或世俗的成就都无法使我们免于神的审判。最终,唯一真正重要的是我们与祂的关系。 今生所获得的一切都无法救赎我们,唯有我们全心全意地献身于神才能使我们得救。因此,我们必须认真审视自己的优先次序:神是否真正占据首位,还是祂的位置已经被偶像给取代了?

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Featured image of 约拿书 第三章 - 神的丰富怜悯
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约拿书 第三章 - 神的丰富怜悯

“这是好的,在我们救主神面前可蒙悦纳;祂愿意万人得救,并得以认识真理。”(提摩太前书2:3-4)。   《约拿书》第3章记录了这一情感的经典例证。它记载了先知约拿向尼尼微人传道,以及尼尼微人悔改的故事。   当我们看到尼尼微人悔改的故事时,我们可以从中找到一种安慰。正如神在尼尼微人真心悔改时宽恕了他们一样,我们也有信心,只要我们以真诚的心悔改,神今天也会以怜悯宽恕我们的罪。   然而,我们不应因为认为神会对我们仁慈而变得自满。在这一章中,我们看到尼尼微人为了寻求神的宽恕所付出的努力。首先,第6节记载,王自己披麻蒙灰,坐在灰中。第7至9节记录了王颁布的命令,要求所有百姓禁食哀哭,促使他们都在神面前悔改。让我们花点时间反思一下,这是我们最终转向神之前想要达到的状态吗?尽管尼尼微人最终得到了赦免,但我们不要被欺骗,他们当时的状态是悲惨的。   此外,《希伯来书》 10:26告诉我们:“因为我们得知真道以后,若故意犯罪,赎罪的祭就再没有了。”  神的爱是丰盛的,祂的怜悯是充足的,但我们要小心,永远不要滥用这种爱和怜悯。   约拿的故事也教导我们如何对待那些我们可能认为有罪的人。《约拿书》的叙事围绕着约拿拒绝向尼尼微宣讲的故事,因他憎恨那座城市,并怀疑那里的人民是否会改变。 当我们读到约拿的故事时,我们会很快说约拿的态度是不对的。然而,当我们看周围的同伴时,我们是否也不知不觉地采取了约拿的心态?我们是否轻易地评判他人?是否给他们贴上某些标签,并拒绝在他们的信仰上帮助他们?我们必须记住,神愿意万人得救。在神的眼中,每一个灵魂都是宝贵的。既然如此,作为神的仆人,我们必须履行祂的旨意,努力拯救每一个灵魂,无论我们对他们的看法如何。   总而言之,我们已经从神那里领受了这份爱与怜悯的礼物。我们也应当将这美好的礼物与他人分享。

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Featured image of 约翰福音 第十三章(英文)
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约翰福音 第十三章(英文)

It is often said that things done and said right before death hold immense weight and importance. John chapter 13 records this exact instance for the man who had the most important job to do: Jesus. The key event recorded in the first part of John 13 is Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. This event teaches us the humility that one ought to have as a servant of God. Jesus, the master, played the role of a servant for His disciples, teaching us that when we are put in leadership positions in the Church, our purpose is to serve others and not lord over them. However, this occasion holds more significance than just a lesson on humility. The chapter begins saying Jesus “knew that his hour had come”. Jesus needed to complete a few important things before He died for all of mankind’s sins and amongst these few things was this sacrament of Footwashing. When Peter did not understand what Jesus was doing, Jesus explained that if He did not wash him, Peter would have no part with Him (verse 8). The footwashing conducted here had the purpose of providing a part with Jesus and Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ words show us just how important footwashing really is. The initial reaction that Peter had to Jesus washing his feet actually draws out more reflection points for us. Initially, Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet because in his view, his master should never wash his feet. Peter was so confident in his own judgement, so much so that he forgot that he was disregarding what Jesus wanted. Today, in our lives, are we like this as well? Do we unknowingly trust more in our judgement of situations and things instead of trusting in God’s will and process? The last thing Jesus leaves His disciples with in this chapter is His new commandment to love one another as He had loved them (verse 34). It seems strange that Jesus called this a new commandment since the commandment of love has always been there, since old testament times. However, this new commandment gives this love a new reference point: Jesus. It sets a new standard to not just love others as ourselves, but to love others unconditionally and sacrificially just like Jesus. This new commandment of love is also further explained to be the mark of the disciples of Jesus for all to see. In our lives today, this is still the case. Our love for others should be apparent and should show others the true meaning of being a Christian.

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