於2011-07-31發佈

基督徒的生活標準

真正的基督徒門訓是一種犧牲、而非獲得的生命。這並不代表我們不當為家人提供妥善的生活,正如提摩太前書五章8節告訴我們:『人若不看顧親屬,就是背了真道,比不信的人還不好,不看顧自己家裡的人,更是如此。』然而,在供應家人與過度物質化、貪婪或無節制之間是有所不同的。

在生命路徑的兩側都有一條壕溝;有著貧窮之靈的基督徒過度反應,促使他人掉入另一側的壕溝,充滿地上思想與物質主義。懼怕『充滿屬天思想而失去地上的好處』,以致於他們充滿屬地的思想,天上地下都沒有得著任何好處。

大部分基督徒,事實上是大部分人的想法都太極端,這種說法並不誇張。我們傾向用人們最極端的元素或行動來論斷他們;然而,當涉及到行在真理時,生命路徑在兩個極端之間總是充滿著緊張。

為此緣故,腓立比書四章5節告訴我們:『當叫眾人知道你們謙讓(不偏左右)的心』。這不單只是我們物質的財產與飲食,更包括其他具爭議性的教義、末世觀與教導,讓我們對不同的詮釋敞開,安全之處在於不偏左右─不被吸引至極端。

當然,這必須與一些真理是在極端裡的事實平衡。耶穌是通往父神的唯一道路,這樣說聽起來好像很極端,但我們若不向祂的神性妥協,這就是一個我們無法妥協的極端真理。祂自己也這樣說,倘若不是真的,就是祂說謊了,因此也不會是聖經上的神。

主可以更明確說出許多如教會管理和飲食等事,但這樣做只不過使新約成為另一種律法,取代原本與神應有的關係。當然新約也有一些誡命,但比較是關於愛,而非該吃什麼、喝什麼,或舉止行為的瑣碎細節。在使徒行傳十五章23-29節,神賜下基督徒所需要的基本行為標準:

於是寫信交付他們,內中說:使徒和作長老的弟兄們問安提阿、敘利亞、基利家外邦眾弟兄的安。
我們聽說,有幾個人從我們這裡出去,用言語攪擾你們,惑亂你們的心。(有古卷在此有:你們必須受割禮,守摩西的律法。)其實我們並沒有吩咐他們。
所以,我們同心定意,揀選幾個人,差他們同我們所親愛的巴拿巴和保羅往你們那裡去。
這二人是為我主耶穌基督的名不顧性命的。
我們就差了猶大和西拉,他們也要親口訴說這些事。
因為聖靈和我們定意不將別的重擔放在你們身上;惟有幾件事是不可少的,
就是禁戒祭偶像的物和血,並勒死的牲畜和姦淫。這幾件你們若能自己禁戒不犯就好了。願你們平安!

這是教會創始長老和使徒與聖靈的見證所確認的,這是聖經。我們不能強加比此更多的行為約束,否則我們就活在律法主義之下了。然而,新約教會的領袖需要更高的標準,領袖階層不單是成為長老或使徒的角色,更會帶來影響力。

當我們在基督裡成熟,我們理當活出更高的標準,而不是滿足於最低要求。真正愛神的人不會只做勉強應付的最低標準,而是怎麼能為主做更多。嬰孩全然無助也全然自私,當孩子長大成熟後,瞭解更多也可以做更多,他們變得比較不自私;對重生的人而言也是如此。新生的基督徒常常享盡一切好處,但長大成熟的基督徒已經學會十架的大能,會像使徒一樣,為自己配得為主名受羞辱而感謝神。同樣地,不成熟具先知性的人成熟後會大大不同,但我們必須給予他們成熟的機會。

(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 28, 2011)


The Prophetic Experiences, Part 5
Standards of Christian Living
Week 28, 2011  

True Christian discipleship is a life of sacrifice, not acquiring. This does not mean that we should not provide well for our families, as we are also told in I Timothy 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.” However, there is a difference between providing for our families and being materialistic, greedy, or even immoderate.

There is a ditch on either side of the path of life. The overreaction to Christians who had a poverty spirit caused others to fall into the ditch on the other side and become earthly-minded and materialistic. Fearing becoming “so heavenly-minded they are no earthly good,” they have become so earthly-minded they are neither good for heaven or earth.

It is not an exaggeration to say that most Christians, and indeed most people, think in extremes. We tend to judge others by their most extreme elements or actions. However, when it comes to walking in truth, the path of life is almost always found in the tension between the extremes.

For this reason we are told in Philippians 4:5, “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (KJV). This is not just about our material possessions, eating or drinking, but also in doctrine. We must be clear and uncompromising about the basics, but the other peripheral doctrines, eschatology, and other teachings that are ambiguous and open to different interpretations, the safe place is moderation—not gravitating toward the extremes.

Of course, this must be balanced with the fact that some truth is found in the extreme. It may sound extreme to say that Jesus is the only Way to the Father, but it is an extreme truth we cannot compromise without compromising the foundation of His divinity. He is the One who said this, and if it is not true, then He must have lied, and therefore would not be the God of the Scriptures.

The Lord could have been much more specific about such things as church government, food, and drink, but to do so would just make the New Covenant another law instead of the relationship with God that it is supposed to be. There are certainly New Covenant commandments, but they are more about love than what to eat, drink, or the minutia of behavior. In Acts 15:23-29, we are given the basic standard of behavior required by Christians:

“The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who  are from the Gentiles, greetings.
“Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you  with their words, unsettling your souls,
it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved      Barnabas and Paul,
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word  of mouth.
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these         essentials:
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from    fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

This was confirmed as the witness of the Holy Spirit and the founding apostles and elders of the church. This is Scripture. We cannot impose any more than this as behavior for constraints without putting them under legalism. However, in the New Testament there were much higher standards for anyone who would be in leadership in the church. Leadership is not just the position of being an elder or apostle, but leadership is basically influence.

As we mature in Christ, we should want to live by higher standards than the minimum that we can get away with. The true lovers of God are not looking to do the minimum that they can get by with, but for how much more they can do for Him. An infant that is totally helpless is also totally selfish. As a child matures and understands more and can do more, they become less selfish. The same is true of those who are born again. New Christians will often be consumed with the benefits, but the mature who have learned the power of the cross will be like the apostles who thanked the Lord that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for His name’s sake. Likewise, immature prophetic people will usually be very different when they mature, but we must give them a chance to mature.