於2022-06-15發佈


你從哪裡來?
雷克-喬納 Rick Joyner
翻譯:Kate 2022.6.14
轉載/轉寄 請註明出處:國度禱告網

我們一直在採取循序漸進的方法,建立我們作為基督徒要成長為什麼的願景。我們討論了我們如何被呼召成為 "被揀選的族類、有君尊的祭司、聖潔的國度"(見彼得前書2:9)。我們被呼召成為萬國中一個獨立的民族,其存在本身就證明了統治我們的國王的卓越性。基督徒應該與其他所有的人有明顯的區別。事實上,我們是萬國中的 "異族",因為我們是 "新造的",與人的亞當本性大不相同。

這個 "聖潔的民族 "也有不同的政府。當然,我們尊重我們所生活的國家的政府,因為他們也從神那裡得到了權力(見羅馬書13:1-6),他們是我們的主人。即便如此,我們在這個世界上的主要目的是為即將到來的國度準備道路,為其利益服務,而不僅僅是為這個世界各國的利益服務。這並不意味著我們不尋求成為各國的祝福,但我們侍奉的是另一個王,即耶穌。我們必須在所有事情上把祂的國度的利益放在第一位。

隨著我們走向這個時代的結束,"聖潔的國家 "將變得更加明顯。它將越來越多地成為黑暗中的一盞明燈,鑲嵌在山上。基督徒群體將成為這樣一個群體,在其內部有一個強大而獨特的身份。這並不意味著我們必須生活在獨立的社區裡,而是意味著基督徒之間的聯繫將變得如此強烈,以至於他們將被視為社區內的一個群體。我們將憑著一種信仰和目的生活,而不是世界上的那些人所生活的。

為了進一步瞭解我們如何與這個地球上的國家發生關係,我想簡要地討論一下目前統治這個世界的兩種不同的政府。稍後,我們將詳細說明它們在基本功能上與神的國度有什麼區別。

基本上,目前這個世界的政府可以分為兩種,無法無天的和合法的。無法無天的國家可能有一個強大的獨裁政府,比如許多共產主義政府。如果他們有憲法,它也沒有任何真正的影響力,因為真正的統治是由掌權者隨意決定的。在這些國家,設立法院的目的不是為了提供正義,而是為了執行當權者的指令。與此相反,合法的國家是那些建立在有真正力量的憲法和基於保護憲法和生活在憲法下的公民的權利的司法系統上的國家。

一般來說,合法的政府會比無法無天的政府好得多,但兩者都與神的國度的政府相差甚遠。即使在最合法的國家,法律也是一門藝術,而不是一門科學。我的意思是它可以因為法律下的正義的影響而改變。誰有最有說服力的律師為其辯護,誰就能獲勝,事實的優劣實際上與案件的結果關係不大。

在像美國這樣致力於法治的國家,對與錯往往是由我們可以逃脫的東西決定的,而不是什麼是對或錯。儘管情況可能是這樣,這些制度可能會比無法無天的制度下的制度提供更多的真正正義。然而,在法官返回並在真理基礎上建立他的王國之前,不會有真正的正義。

為了進一步研究這兩種基本類型的世俗政府,我強烈推薦亞歷山大-索爾仁尼琴的著作。他在共產主義的無法無天的政權下生活過,然後在美國的合法(或完整的法律)政府下生活了多年。他認為兩者都沒有達到人類最好和最高的目的。索爾仁尼琴以先知的眼光,在哈佛大學的畢業班上發表了"警告"的講話(1976年在全國報紙的頭版發表),震撼了我們的國家,很少有對我們國家的批評者能做到。這可能是二十世紀對這個國家作出的最有力的兩個預言之一,另一個是小馬丁-路德-金的 "我有一個夢想 "的演講(我們在《晨星報》第三卷第一號上發表了索爾仁尼琴的演講)。

與這個世界上最好的政府相比,神的國度是基於最高的道德標準--愛。我們這些生活在國度裡的人不應該被我們可以逃脫的東西所支配,而應該被正確的東西和對我們被命令去愛的人有最大好處的東西所支配。誠然,當國王親自來地球上建立祂的王國時,祂將帶著鐵杖來審判各國,但即使祂的審判也是建立在祂的愛之上。作為愛的上帝,不會因怨恨或報復而做任何事。這一點在十字架上得到了永遠的證明。即使祂必須毀滅一個國家,那也是因為愛使之成為必要。

這當然是 "強硬的愛",但真正的愛是為了所愛的人而毫不妥協地執行其標準。正如《箴言》13:24所宣稱的,"捨不得棍子的人恨他的兒子,愛他的人要勤加管教他"。如果我們不管教我們的孩子,我們就沒有為他們將要面對的生活做有效的準備,因此是在傷害他們,而不是愛他們。出於這個原因,希伯來書12:6-11指出。

因為主所愛的,他必管教,又鞭打凡所收納的兒子。
你們所忍受的,是神管教你們,待你們如同待兒子。焉有兒子不被父親管教的呢?
管教原是眾子所共受的,你們若不受管教,就是私子,不是兒子了。
再者,我們曾有生身的父管教我們,我們尚且敬重他,何況萬靈的父,我們豈不更當順服他得生嗎?
生身的父都是暫隨己意管教我們;惟有萬靈的父管教我們,是要我們得益處,使我們在他的聖潔上有分。
凡管教的事,當時不覺得快樂,反覺得愁苦;後來卻為那經練過的人結出平安的果子,就是義。

在我們的生活中,這種以試煉形式出現的紀律是為了準備我們進入祂的國度。祂的教會必須被準備好,這樣我們不僅準備好迎接祂的到來,而且準備好在祂到來時與祂一起承擔責任和權力。我們生活中發生的一切都在為統治進行訓練。不要浪費你的考驗。它們臨到你,是因為王愛你,想為榮耀的目的使用你。正是通過這些考驗,我們才一步步地進入準備好為王服務的位置。


Where Are You From?
Rick Joyner

We have been taking a step-by-step approach to establishing a vision of what we are to grow up into as Christians. We have discussed how we are called to be a "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (see I Peter 2:9). We are called to be a separate nation within the nations whose very existence testifies of the excellencies of the King who rules over us. Christians should be strikingly distinguishable from all other people. We are in fact the "alien nation" within the nations, as we are a "new creation" that is vastly different from the Adamic nature of man.

This "holy nation" also has a different government. Of course, we honor the governments of the nations that we live in because they too have received their authority from God (see Romans 13:1-6), and they are our hosts. Even so, our main purpose on this earth is to prepare the way for the kingdom that is to come, to serve its interests, not just the interests of the nations of this world. That does not mean that we do not seek to be a blessing to the nations, but we serve another King, Jesus. We must place the interests of His kingdom first in all things.

As we proceed toward the end of this age, the "holy nation" will become more distinguishable. It will increasingly become a bright light set on a hill in the midst of darkness. The Christian community will become just that, a community within itself with a powerful and distinct identity. This does not mean that we must live in separate neighborhoods, but that the bond between Christians will grow so strong that they will be recognized as a community of people within the community. We will live by a faith and a purpose other than those that the world lives by.

To further understand just how we are to relate to the nations of this earth, I want to briefly discuss the two different kinds of governments that presently rule this world. Later, we will elaborate on how they are distinguishable from the kingdom of God in their basic functions.

Basically, the present governments of this world can be separated into two kinds, the lawless and the lawful. The lawless nations may have a strong authoritarian government, such as many of the communist governments. If they have a constitution at all, it does not have any real influence because the true rule is at the whim of those in power. In these nations the courts are not established for the purpose of providing justice, but for enforcing the dictates of those in authority. In contrast to this, the lawful nations are those that are established on a constitution that has real strength and a system of justice based on protecting the constitution and the rights of the citizens who live under it.

Generally, the lawful governments will be much better than the lawless, but both fall far short of the government of the kingdom of God. Even in the most lawful nations, law is an art and not a science. By this I mean it can change because of the influences of justice under the law. One who has the most persuasive lawyers arguing their case can win, the merit of facts actually having little to do with the outcome of the case.

In nations so devoted to the rule of law, such as the United States, right and wrong is often determined by what we can get away with, not what is right or wrong. Even though this may be the case, these systems will probably provide much more true justice than those under a lawless system. However, there will not be true justice until the Judge returns and establishes His kingdom based on truth.

For further study of these two basic types of earthly governments, I highly recommend the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. He lived under the lawless regimes of communism and then spent years under the lawful (or full-of-law) government of the United States. He saw both as falling short of bringing forth the best and highest purposes of mankind. With the eye of a prophet, Solzhenitsyn's address, "A Warning," to the graduating class of Harvard (which was published on the front pages of newspapers throughout the country in 1976) shook our nation as few critics of our country ever have. This was probably one of the two most powerful prophetic proclamations made to this nation in the twentieth century, with the other being the "I Have A Dream" speech made by Martin Luther King, Jr. (We published Solzhenitsyn's address in The Morning Star Journal, Volume 3, Number 1.)

In contrast to the best governments of this world, the kingdom of God is based on the highest moral standard—love. We who live in the kingdom should not be governed by what we can get away with, but by what is right and what is of the greatest benefit to those we are commanded to love. It is true that when the King Himself comes to set up His kingdom on earth, He will come with a rod of iron to judge the nations, but even His judgment is founded upon His love. God who is love, does not do anything out of resentment or retaliation. This was proven for all time by the cross. Even if He must destroy a nation, it is because love makes it necessary.

This certainly is "tough love," but true love is uncompromising in its standards for the sake of those loved. As Proverbs 13:24 declares, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently." If we do not discipline our children we are not preparing them effectively for the life that they are going to face, and are therefore harming them, not loving them. For this reason, Hebrews 12:6-11 states:

"For those whom the LORD loves He disciplines,
and He scourges every son whom He receives."
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons;
for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers,
then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;
shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them,
but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;
yet to those who have been trained by it,
afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

In our lives, such discipline in the form of trials we endure is for the purpose of preparing us for His kingdom. His church must be prepared so we are not only ready for it to come, but also ready to take responsibility and authority with Him when He comes. Everything happening in our lives is training for reigning. Don't waste your trials. They are coming upon you because the King loves you and wants to use you for a glorious purpose. It is by passing these tests that we advance step-by-step into the place of being ready for service to the King.