OUR STANDARD OF AUTHORITY IN RELIGION

To be able to agree in religion, we must have the same rules to follow.  If we follow different rules, we will never be able to be united.  We will first discuss what is not our standard of authority.

               我们信仰上的标

            为了宗教上的合而为一、我们必须服从同样的规矩. 如果我们服从不同的规矩、就永远不会合一.  我们首先来讨论什么不是我们信仰上的标准.

              It is not our opinions.  "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12 ).  If our opinions were the standard of authority in religion, there would be more than five billion standards of authority in this world.

这不是我们自己个人的意见. 『有一条路，人以为正，至终成为死亡之路』(箴 14:12). 如果我们的意见是我们宗教信仰上的标准、那世界上便有五十多亿的不同的信仰标准.

            It is not what most people think is not our authority in religion (Mt. 7:13 ,14).  Jesus tells us there are only two roads that we can travel.  We will travel the broad way that leads to destruction, or the narrow way which leads to life.  All roads do not lead to heaven!  There is a right way and a wrong way.  As the writer Jeremiah said, "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;  It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23 ).  If we want to travel from New York to California , we do not travel northeast.  We have to travel the right way to go to the right place.  We have to follow the road map.  We do not say, "well, it feels all right to me."

            大多数人的看法并不是我们信仰上的标准 (太 7:13,14). 耶稣告诉我们说我们只有两条路可以走. 我们可以走那通到灭亡的宽路、或走那通到永生的窄路. 不是每一条路都会通到天堂! 有正确的路也有错误的路. 耶利米说、『耶和华啊，我晓得人的道路不由自己，行路的人也不能定自己的脚步』(耶10:23). 假如我们要从纽约要到加州去、不是往东北走. 我们必须走正确的路才会到达目的地. 我们必须跟着地图走. 我们不会说、『我感觉对就可以了』.

            The traditions of our ancestors are not the authority in religion.  Jesus said, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:3,6b-9).  The apostle Peter added, "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you"  (1 Peter 1:18 -20).  Again, if traditions were our guide in religion, there would be thousands of standards of religion.

            我们祖先的传统不是我们信仰上的标准. 耶稣说、『耶稣回答说、你们为甚么因着你们的遗传，犯 神的诫命呢. 这就是你们借着遗传，废了 神的诫命，假冒为善的人哪. 以赛亚指着你们说的预言是不错的. 他说、这百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心却远离我；他们将人的吩咐当作道理教导人，所以拜我也是枉然』(太 15:3,6-9). 使徒彼得也说、『知道你们得赎，脱去你 们祖宗所传流虚妄的行为，不是凭着能坏的金银等物，乃是凭着基督的宝血，如同无瑕疵、无玷污的羔羊之血』(彼前 1:18,19). 再者、如果传统是我们信仰的标准、那就有几千个不同的信仰标准了.

            Zeal or sincerity is not our standard of authority.  Paul wrote concerning the Jews, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God's rightousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:1-3).  The apostle Paul was one of the most zealous and sincere individuals who ever lived, but his zeal and sincerity were not enough to save him.  He still had to obey the commands of God.

            热心或虔诚也不是我们信仰上的标准. 保罗在写到关于犹太人时说: 『弟兄们，我心里所愿的，向 神所求的，是要以色列人得救. 我可以证明他们向 神有热心，但不是按着真知识；因为不知道 神的义，想要立自己的义，就不服 神的义了』(罗 10:1-3). 使徒保罗是全世界最热心虔诚的人之一、但是他的热心和虔诚并不能拯救他. 他还必须遵守 神的命令.

            The apostle Paul also helps us to know that our feelings and our conscience are not our guide in religion (Acts 26:9; 23:1; 24:16).  This is one of the main reasons that people are divided into many different religions.  They follow their feelings and their conscience instead of the word of God.  Our conscience is only a safe guide when it is guided by the word of God.

            使徒保罗也帮助我们知道感觉跟良心不是我们信仰上的标准 (徒 26:9; 23:1; 24:16). 正因为有感觉和良心、人便被区分成有不同宗教信仰了. 他们跟从他们的感觉和良心而不是跟从 神的话语. 我们的良心只有在 神的话的指引下才会是安全的指针.

            Denominational creeds are not the standard of authority in religion.  In fact, denominational creeds cause much of the religious division in the world.  If a book has more in it than the Bible, it is too much.  If a book has less in it than the Bible, it is too little.  If it has exactly the same in it as the Bible, we do not need it because we already have the Bible.  The Bible tells us we are not to add to, take away, or change the word of God (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18 ,19; Galatians 1:6-9).

            教派的信条不是我们信仰上的标准. 事实上、教派的信条导致了世上宗教信仰的分歧. 假如一本书的内容多过圣经的内容、那就僭越了. 如果一本书的内容比圣经的内容少、那就太不足了. 假如一本书的内容跟圣经的内容完全一样、我们就不需要这本书因为我们已经有圣经了. 圣经告诉我们不可以加添、减少、或更改 神的话 (申 4:2; 启 22:18,19; 加 1:6-9).

Our Standard Of Authority - The Word Of God

              Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32 ).  The truth is our standard of authority in religion.  Jesus added, "Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth" (John 17:17 ).  Peter wrote, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and abides forever....  But the word of the Lord endures forever.  Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you" (1 Peter 1:22 ,23,25).  Paul wrote, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16 ,17).  He added, "To which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14 ).  Paul also said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek" (Romans 1:16 ).

我们信仰上的标准 - 神的话语

耶稣说、『你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由』(约 8:32). 我们宗教信仰上的标准是真理. 耶稣也说、『求你用真理使他们成圣；你的道就是真理』(约 17:17). 彼得写道、『你们既因顺从从真理，洁净了自己的心，以致爱弟兄没有虚假，就当从心里彼此切实相爱. 你们蒙了重生，不是由于能坏的种子，乃是由于不能坏的种子，是借着神活泼常存的道. 惟有 主的道是永存的. 所传给你们的福音就是这道』(彼前 1:22,23,25). 保罗也写道、『圣经都是 神所默示的，于教训、督责、使人归正、教导人学义都是有益的，叫属 神的人得以完全，预备行各样的善事』(提后 3:16,17). 『神藉我们所传的福音召你们到你们到这地步，好得着我们主耶稣基督的荣光』(帖后 2:14). 保罗也说、『我不以福音为耻；这福音本是 神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是犹太人，后是希利尼人』(罗 1:16).

            It is the truth, the word of God, the gospel, the scriptures that is our standard of authority in religion.  It is when we follow the scriptures and the scriptures alone that we please God and are able to receive his blessings.

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