此研讀是為了要從聖經世界觀來瞭解當今時事，這是因為神將經上寫的話賜給我們，以致於我們可以以祂是誰來看祂，以祂做什麼來看世界。唯有如此我們才能成為祂真正的代表，這也是我們的基本呼召。

所以，倘若我們都讀同樣一本聖經，為何穿越整個政治光譜從極自由到極保守的基督徒都有呢？首先，最悲哀的是，你會找到認同你觀點的譯本，所以我們並非都讀相同的聖經。事實上，甚至沒有太多人藉由閱讀聖經來得著他們的觀點。先前我們曾討論過，研究調查顯示出美國有百分之六十五的人宣稱重生，卻只有百分之六的人擁有聖經的世界觀。怎麼會這樣呢？我們若是基督的跟隨者，我們就是祂的門徒，我們生命的主要擺上應該是看祂所看、想祂所想，瞭解祂的心。但卻如司布真曾說過的，倘若每一個人都讀聖經，他就可以找到十個願意為聖經而死的人。顯然我們今日仍存在著同樣的問題。

想一想：一個保守福音派的刊物曾做過一項調查，發現當中只有百分之一的人擁有一本聖經參考書！保守福音派在基督身體中是以研經著稱，他們對此調查的誠實與敞開令人佩服，但我們必須將我們的觀點回到健全的聖經真理。聖經是神給人的使用者指南，我們若想要知道如何修補我們的問題，我們需要去找造物主賜給我們的指南，祂比別人更知道我們該怎麼做。

讀聖經真的只是根基，倘若我們要行在祂的真理中，還有更重要的。倘若我們沒有靠聖靈─真理的靈來讀聖經，即使我們讀了，也不會正確瞭解聖經。然而，祂已經指示我們一個非常簡單的方式，使我們一定可以看祂所看。讀聖經若只為了證明我們自己的議程、觀點或偏見，我們就不是倚靠真理的靈。在約翰福音七章17-19節，耶穌陳述瞭解真理的基本關鍵，無論是藉由閱讀聖經或其他方式：

人若立志遵著祂的旨意行，就必曉得這教訓或是出於神，或是我憑著自己說的（約翰福音7：17）。

要分辨教導或其他事的真理，先要從立志遵行神的旨意開始，正如聖經所要求的。要這樣做，我們必須願意擁抱祂的真理，無論其是否同意我們的議程、目前的觀點或偏見。因為聖經也告訴我們神阻擋驕傲的人，賜恩給謙卑的人（參考雅各書4：6）。我們必須以謙卑來讀經，其所顯現出來的就是受教，而不是從我們已經知道什麼是對的角度來讀。    

顯然，有許多基督徒對生命與時事的看法並不是從聖經來的，他們卻深信不疑，即便可能是錯的。其他人則是在讀聖經時對一些事情擁有不同的看法，甚至使用相同的段落來建立他們不同的觀點。我們都見識過那些有著強烈議程的人，是如何用自己早已相信的事物來詮釋每一件事。我們如何能在強烈的個人信念下，卻仍保有謙卑呢？神藉由謙卑賜下祂的恩典，還有真理。在引用上述經文後，神用下一節經文─約翰福音七章18節做為我們對此的聖經測試：

人憑著自己說，是求自己的榮耀；惟有求那差祂來者的榮耀，這人是真的，在祂心裡沒有不義。

這裡『榮耀』的希臘文也可以被翻為『認可』。當我們求自己的榮耀或認可時，我們就不是藉真理的靈所說的；真理的靈來是要引領我們靠近耶穌，當祂引領我們時，那也會成為我們的動機─看見耶穌被高舉。

使徒保羅在哥林多後書十一章3-4節寫到：『我只怕你們的心或偏於邪，失去那向基督所存純一清潔的心，就像蛇用詭詐誘惑了夏娃一樣。』我們越能對基督與祂的目的保有純一的委身，尋求祂的榮耀，渴慕遵行祂的旨意，不讓政治議程或其他動機渲染了我們所做的事情，我們將能認識真理並行在其中。

我們將會談到當今時事中一些棘手的事情，倘若我們沒有堅固的聖經真理根基，就會偏離公義和公平的路線，其一直都是神所做之事的根基。我們必須把我們的觀點與生命建造在神所建造的事物上，而不是人的。我們若沒有這樣做，就無法在現在臨到我們的震動中存活。正如我們在這些時候的聖經預言所看見的，在以賽亞書六十章與其他地方都有說到，即使黑暗與邪惡增加，神的榮耀卻要更多顯現在祂子民身上。祂的榮耀根基是祂的愛；這要如何應用呢？繼續閱讀我們的每週一話便知曉。 

(摘自 喬納 word for the week 23, 2010)


预备时候-之23 (雷克乔纳)
在诗篇八十九篇14节，神的话宣告：『公义和公平是祢宝座的根基；慈爱和诚实行在祢前面。』公义是做神眼中对的事情，公平也是由祂的标准所建立。然而，慈爱和诚实之所以行在祂前面，是因为没有了慈爱，没有一件事在祂眼中是公义和公平的。即便如此，祂的诚实一定会紧跟着慈爱。

此研读是为了要从圣经世界观来了解当今时事，这是因为神将经上写的话赐给我们，以致于我们可以以祂是谁来看祂，以祂做什么来看世界。唯有如此我们才能成为祂真正的代表，这也是我们的基本呼召。

所以，倘若我们都读同样一本圣经，为何穿越整个政治光谱从极自由到极保守的基督徒都有呢？
首先，最悲哀的是，你会找到认同你观点的译本，所以我们并非都读相同的圣经。事实上，甚至没有太多人藉由阅读圣经来得着他们的观点。先前我们曾讨论过，研究调查显示出美国有百分之六十五的人宣称重生，却只有百分之六的人拥有圣经的世界观。怎么会这样呢？
我们若是基督的跟随者，我们就是祂的门徒，我们生命的主要摆上应该是看祂所看、想祂所想，了解祂的心。但却如司布真曾说过的，倘若每一个人都读圣经，他就可以找到十个愿意为圣经而死的人。显然我们今日仍存在着同样的问题。

想一想：一个保守福音派的刊物曾做过一项调查，发现当中只有百分之一的人拥有一本圣经参考书！保守福音派在基督身体中是以研经著称，他们对此调查的诚实与敞开令人佩服，但我们必须将我们的观点回到健全的圣经真理。圣经是神给人的使用者指南，我们若想要知道如何修补我们的问题，我们需要去找造物主赐给我们的指南，祂比别人更知道我们该怎么做。

读圣经真的只是根基，倘若我们要行在祂的真理中，还有更重要的。倘若我们没有靠圣灵─真理的灵来读圣经，即使我们读了，也不会正确了解圣经。然而，祂已经指示我们一个非常简单的方式，使我们一定可以看祂所看。读圣经若只为了证明我们自己的议程、观点或偏见，我们就不是倚靠真理的灵。在约翰福音七章17-19节，耶稣陈述了解真理的基本关键，无论是藉由阅读圣经或其它方式：

人若立志遵着祂的旨意行，就必晓得这教训或是出于神，或是我凭着自己说的（约翰福音7:17）。

要分辨教导或其它事的真理，先要从立志遵行神的旨意开始，正如圣经所要求的。要这样做，我们必须愿意拥抱祂的真理，无论其是否同意我们的议程、目前的观点或偏见。因为圣经也告诉我们神阻挡骄傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人（参考雅各布书4:6）。我们必须以谦卑来读经，其所显现出来的就是受教，而不是从我们已经知道什么是对的角度来读。   

显然，有许多基督徒对生命与时事的看法并不是从圣经来的，他们却深信不疑，即便可能是错的。其它人则是在读圣经时对一些事情拥有不同的看法，甚至使用相同的段落来建立他们不同的观点。我们都见识过那些有着强烈议程的人，是如何用自己早已相信的事物来诠释每一件事。我们如何能在强烈的个人信念下，却仍保有谦卑呢？神藉由谦卑赐下祂的恩典，还有真理。在引用上述经文后，神用下一节经文─约翰福音七章18节做为我们对此的圣经测试：

人凭着自己说，是求自己的荣耀；惟有求那差祂来者的荣耀，这人是真的，在祂心里没有不义。

这里『荣耀』的希腊文也可以被翻为『认可』。当我们求自己的荣耀或认可时，我们就不是藉真理的灵所说的；真理的灵来是要引领我们靠近耶稣，当祂引领我们时，那也会成为我们的动机─看见耶稣被高举。
使徒保罗在哥林多后书十一章3-4节写到：『我只怕你们的心或偏于邪，失去那向基督所存纯一清洁的心，就像蛇用诡诈诱惑了夏娃一样。』我们越能对基督与祂的目的保有纯一的委身，寻求祂的荣耀，渴慕遵行祂的旨意，不让政治议程或其它动机渲染了我们所做的事情，我们将能认识真理并行在其中。

我们将会谈到当今时事中一些棘手的事情，倘若我们没有坚固的圣经真理根基，就会偏离公义和公平的路线，其一直都是神所做之事的根基。我们必须把我们的观点与生命建造在神所建造的事物上，而不是人的。我们若没有这样做，就无法在现在临到我们的震动中存活。正如我们在这些时候的圣经预言所看见的，在以赛亚书六十章与其它地方都有说到，即使黑暗与邪恶增加，神的荣耀却要更多显现在祂子民身上。祂的荣耀根基是祂的爱；这要如何应用呢？继续阅读我们的每周一话便知晓。

(摘自 乔纳 word for the week, Week 23, 2010)

 
Prepared for the Times, Part 23
Week 23, 2010

In Psalm 89:14, the Word of God declares, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving kindness and truth go before You.” Righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. Justice is also established by His standards. However, mercy and truth go before Him because none are righteous or just in His sight without His mercy. Even so, after His mercy His truth will surely follow.

This study is to seek understanding of current events from a biblical worldview. This is because the written Word of God was given to us so that we could see Him as He is and see the world as He does. Only then can we be His true representatives, which is our basic calling.

So why do we have Christians who are found all the way across the political spectrum from extreme liberal to extreme conservative if we are all reading from the same Bible? First, most sadly, you can now find a translation that will agree with your perspective or agenda, so we are not all reading from the same Bible. Actually, not many are even reading the Bible to get their perspective. We discussed before how a study showed that 65 percent of Americans claim to be born again, but only about 6 percent had a biblical worldview. How could this be? If we are followers of Christ, we are His disciples and should have the primary devotion in our lives to see as He does, think as He thinks, and understand with His heart. Yet as Spurgeon once said, he could find ten men who would die for the Bible for every one that would read it. We obviously have the same today. 

Think about this—the leading journal of conservative evangelicals once did a study on the articles it carried and found that only 1 percent of them had even one reference to Scripture! This is the part of the body of Christ that is known mostly for its devotion to Scripture. Their honesty and openness about this was admirable, but we must return to basing our perspectives on sound, biblical truth. The Bible is God’s Owner’s Manual for humans. If we want to know how to fix what is wrong with us, we need to go to the manual that was given to us by our Maker, who knows better than anyone else how we should work.

Reading our Bible is actually fundamental, but there is more if we are going to walk in His truth. Even if we read the Bible, if we do not read it by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, we will not understand it correctly. However, He has prescribed a very simple way that we can be sure of seeing it as He intended. To read the Bible to prove our own agenda, perspective, or prejudice is not to read it by the Spirit of Truth. In John 7:17-19, Jesus states the basic key to understanding truth, whether it is through reading the Bible or in anything else:

“If anyone is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17). 

To discern the truth in teaching, or anything, starts from a foundation of being willing to do God’s will just as it requires. To do this, we must be willing to embrace His truth regardless of whether it agrees with our agendas, present perspectives, or prejudices. Because we are also told that God resists the proud but gives His grace to the humble (see James 4:6), we have to approach it with humility, which is demonstrated by being teachable, rather than from a perspective that we already know what is right. 

Obviously, many Christians have views on life and current events that they did not get from the Scriptures, and they are convinced of them even though they may not be right. Others have different views on things from reading the Bible, and even using the same passages to establish their different perspectives. We have all seen how people who have a strong agenda will interpret everything in the light of what they already believe. How can we be strong in our convictions, yet maintain the humility that God gives His grace to, which includes His truth? We have been given a biblical test for this in the next verse after the one quoted above, John 7:18:

“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

The Greek word translated “glory” in this passage could have been translated “recognition.” When we are seeking our own glory, or recognition, we will not be speaking by the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit of Truth came to lead us to Jesus, and when He is leading us, that too will be our motive—seeing Jesus lifted up.

The Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 11:3-4, “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” The closer we can stay to the simplicity of devotion to Christ and His purposes, seeking His glory, and wanting to do His will, not letting political agendas, or other motives color what we do, we will be able to know the truth and walk in it. 

We will be getting into some difficult matters concerning current events. If we do not have a strong foundation in biblical truth, we will veer from the course of both righteousness and justice, which will always be the foundation of what God is doing. We must build our perspectives and our lives on what God is building, not men. If we don’t, we will not survive the shaking that is now upon us. Even with the darkness and evil growing, as we see in the biblical prophecies of these times, the glory of God will increase upon His people as in Isaiah 60 and other places. The foundation of His glory is His love. How is this going to apply? Stay with us and see.