选择与后果 Choices And Consequences

December 28, 2011 — by Bill Crowder

(From: Our daily Bread, http://odb.org/ and http://chinese-odb.org/)

加拉太书6章7节 Galatians 6:7

「不要自欺，上帝是轻慢不得的。人种的是什么，收的也是什么。」 ”Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

读经: 加拉太书6章1-10节 Scripture Reading: Galatians 6：1－10

在英国利物浦的国际奴隶制度博物馆中，纪录了世世代代身为奴隶及其子女所受到的奴役和压迫。因为奴隶主的贪婪，无辜的奴隶们付出了可怕的代价。然而，代价不仅是如此而已。在博物馆的一面墙上，刻着美国曾经身为奴隶的人权领袖，弗雷德里克道格拉斯的名言：「用锁链扣住同伴脚踝的人，最后必发现锁链的另一端正缠在自己的脖子上。」当以不人道的方法对待他人时，自己就成了灭绝人性的人。

使徒保罗以另一种方式阐明了同样的道理， 他说：「不要自欺，上帝是轻慢不得的。人种植的是什么，收割的也是什么」（加拉太书6章7节）。保罗的话是严厉的警告，要我们知道每一项选择都会带来后果，当然包括我们选择如何待人。如果我们选择仇恨，那么仇恨所带来的结果绝对是我们无法应付的。我们会发觉自己与人疏远、对自己恼怒、能力受阻，而且无法有效地服事基督。

相反的，我们要选择 「行善，不可丧志；若不灰心，到了时候就要收成。所以，有了机会，就当向众人行善。」（9-10节）WEC

撒下贪婪仇恨种子，

收割败坏损失痛苦；

撒下仁爱恩慈种子，

       必然收割永生恩福。 Sper

你我今日撒下的种子， 成就明日收割的果实。

In the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England, the devastation of generations of enslaved men, women, and children is remembered. The price innocent people have paid for the greed of others is horrific -but theirs is not the only cost. Engraved in a wall of the museum is a profound observation made by Frederick Douglass, former slave and crusader for human rights, which reads, “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.” In the act of dehumanizing others, we dehumanize ourselves.

The apostle Paul put it another way when he wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Paul’s words form a stark reminder to us that our choices have consequences - and that includes how we choose to treat others. When we choose to hate, that hate can return to us in the form of consequences that we can never fully prepare for. We can find ourselves alienated from others, angry with ourselves, and hamstrung in our ability to serve Christ effectively.

Instead, let’s choose “not [to] grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap . . . As we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (vv.9-10).

Sowing seeds of greed and hatred


Reaps corruption, loss, and pain;

But if we sow love and kindness,

We will reap eternal gain. —Sper

The seeds we sow today
will determine

the kind of fruit we’ll reap tomorrow.

神是公平的，神有主权 God is Fair, and God has the prerogative

罗马书 9：10－16 Romans 9:10-16

9:10 不但如此，还有利百加，既从一個人，就是从我们的祖宗以撒怀了孕， 9:11 双子还没有生下来，善恶还没有做出来，只因要显明　神拣选人的旨意，不在乎人的行为，乃在乎召人的主。9:12 　神就对利百加说：将来大的要服事小的。9:13 正如经上所记：雅各是我所爱的；以扫是我所恶的。 9:14  这样，我们可说甚么呢？难道神有甚么不公平么？ 断乎没有！ 9:15  因他对摩西说：我要怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要恩待谁就恩待谁。9:16 据此看来，这不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎发怜悯的神。

¹⁰ This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.¹¹ But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; ¹² he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works. She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” ¹³ In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”¹⁴ Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! ¹⁵ For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”¹⁶ So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

希伯来书的作者称以撒为“我们的祖宗，”显示他是犹太人，很可能是保罗。无论如何，这段经文的焦点是，当以撒娶了利百加，而她为他生了两个儿子。在她还未生下他们时，在他们还未做出善恶时，神已经为他们设定了他的计划。神的呼召与拣选是奇妙的，就是那大的要服事小的。神的呼召是按照他自己的计划与原因，而不是凭着他们的行动。这就造成一个疑问：“神是不是不公平么？断乎不是，因为他有权做他喜悦的，不需要向任何人询问，也不需要对任何人负责。他决定怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要恩待谁就恩待谁。

The writer talks about Isaac as “our ancestor,” indicating that he is a Jew, maybe Paul. Anyway, the point is that when Isaac married Rebekah and she conceived two sons, even BEFORE they were born, and BEFORE they had done or committed anything good or bad, God has already made plans for both the sons. The calling and choosing of God was MYSTERIOUS, that is, the older one will serve the younger one. God’s calling is according to his own purposes and reasons, and not according to their works. Thus, it begs the question: “Is God unfair?” Surely not, this is because God has the prerogative to do as He wishes, He does not need to consult anyone, nor become obligated to anyone. He decides to show mercy and compassion to anyone He desires, and no one could accuse Him of being unfair or showing favoritism.

配角 A Supporting Role

December 15, 2011 — by David C. McCasland

(From: Our daily Bread, http://odb.org/ and http://chinese-odb.org/)

罗马书 12章10节 Romans 12:10

「爱弟兄，要彼此亲热；恭敬人，要彼此推让。」 ”Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”

读经: 罗马书 12章9－21节 Scripture Reading: Romans12：9－21

在2009年，美国电视名人艾德．麦克曼过世后，有家报纸写了这样的标题：「如果提到谁一直做老二，艾德．麦克曼是第一名。」三十年来，他担任美国脱口秀泰斗强尼．卡森的得力副手，帮助卡森在镁光灯下获得成功。当许多艺人都努力争取排名时，麦克曼却甘做配角。

保罗教导说，我们都是基督的肢体， 应该好好地运用我们的恩赐（罗马书12章3-8节），在这里，他肯定了配角的价值。 一开始，他说到我们应该实际地衡量自己（3节）， 最后，他呼吁我们要有纯洁无私的爱：「爱弟兄，要彼此亲热；恭敬人，要彼此推让」（10节）。这句话若按英文腓力斯译本， 可翻译为 ：「心甘情愿地将功劳归给他人。」

我们的恩赐和能力来自上帝的恩典， 所以要按着信心的程度运用我们的恩赐（3、6节）， 事奉基督，显明我们对祂的爱，而不是以此来赢得他人的赞赏。

愿上帝赐给我们能力，能满有热忱地做好祂呼召我们扮演的配角。我们最终的目标是为了祂的荣耀，而非我们的虚荣。 DCM

教会是身体，包含各部位，

有生命进展，运作且感人；

当各方委身，齐遵救主愿，

成员皆合一，完成祂目标。 Fitzhugh 

人人参与不观望，教会才能得兴旺。

After the American TV personality Ed McMahon died in 2009, one newspaper headline read, “When it came to being the No. 2 man, he was No. 1.” Best known for his 30-year tenure as Johnny Carson’s late-night sidekick, McMahon excelled at helping Carson succeed in the spotlight. While most entertainers strive for top billing, McMahon was content with a supporting role.

When the apostle Paul gave instructions about how to exercise our gifts as members of the body of Christ (Rom. 12:3-8), he affirmed the value of supporting roles. He began by saying that we should have a realistic opinion of ourselves (v.3), and he concluded with a call to genuine, unselfish love: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (v.10). Or, as J. B. Phillips translates it, “a willingness to let the other man have the credit.” Our gifts and abilities come to us by God’s grace and are to be used by faith (vv.3,6) in love and service for Christ －not for personal recognition.

May God grant us the ability to embrace with enthusiasm the supporting roles to which He calls us. The ultimate goal is His glory and not our own.

The church, a living body, containing all the parts

It lives, it moves, it functions, and touches many hearts;

When each part is committed to do the Savior’s will,

His members are united, His purpose they fulfill. — Fitzhugh

The church works best when we see ourselves
as participants, not as spectators.

神没有孙子 God has no grandchildren

罗马书 9：6－9 Romans 9:6-9

9:6 这不是说神的话落了空。因为从以色列生的不都是以色列人，9:7 也不因为是亚伯拉罕的后裔就都作他的儿女；惟独从以撒生的才要称为你的后裔。9:8 这就是说，肉身所生的儿女不是神的儿女，惟独那应许的儿女才算是后裔。9:9 因为所应许的话是这样说：到明年这時候我要来，撒拉必生一個儿子。⁶ Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! ⁷ Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. ⁸ This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. ⁹ For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.

这段经节提醒我们，属肉体生的不能对一个人的属灵生命有任何益处。就如主耶稣所说，虽然尼克地莫是个犹太人, 并且是拉比，但是他也必须有从生的经验才能进入神的国。以我们的孩子来说，他们生长在基督徒的家庭，无论他们是基督徒的孩子或在传道人的家庭生长的，他们也必须亲身体会与认识神，有了相信耶稣基督为他们救主的经历。

This passage reminds us that natural birth does not contribute in any way to a person becoming spiritually born. Just as Jesus reminded Nicodemus that even though he was a Jew and also a rabbi, he must still be born again if he were to see the kingdom of God. For our children, those who have been born into Christian families, they too need a personal encounter with God, and believe in Jesus Christ as their personal savior, regardless of whether they are born in a Christian or pastor’s family.