信仰的基本課程

OUR STANDARD OF AUTHORITY IN RELIGION

我們信仰上的標準

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.

爲了宗教上的合而爲一、我們必須服從同樣的規矩 . 如果我們服從不同的規矩、就永遠不會合一 . 我們首先來討論什麽不是我們信仰上的標準 .

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.

這不是我們自己個人的意見 . 『有一條路，人以爲正，至終成爲死亡之路』 ( 箴 14:12). 如果我們的意見是我們宗教信仰上的標準、那世界上便有五十多億的不同的信仰標準 .

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.”

大多數人的看法並不是我們信仰上的標準 ( 太 7:13,14). 耶穌告訴我們說我們只有兩條路可以走 . 我們可以走那通到滅亡的寬路、或走那通到永生的窄路 . 不是每一條路都會通到天堂 ! 有正確的路也有錯誤的路 . 耶利米說、『耶和華啊，我曉得人的道路不由自己，行路的人也不能定自己的腳步』 ( 耶 10:23). 假如我們要從紐約要到加州去、不是往東北走 . 我們必須走正確的路才會到達目的地 . 我們必須跟著地圖走 . 我們不會說、『我感覺對就可以了』 .

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.

我們祖先的傳統不是我們信仰上的標準 . 耶穌說、『耶穌回答說、你們爲甚麽因著你們的遺傳，犯 神的誡命呢 . 這就是你們借著遺傳，廢了 神的誡命，假冒爲善的人哪 . 以賽亞指著你們說的預言是不錯的 . 他說、這百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心卻遠離我；他們將人的吩咐當作道理教導人，所以拜我也是枉然』 ( 太 15:3,6-9). 使徒彼得也說、『知道你們得贖，脫去你 們祖宗所傳流虛妄的行爲，不是憑著能壞的金銀等物，乃是憑著基督的寶血，如同無瑕疵、無玷污的羔羊之血』 ( 彼前 1:18,19). 再者、如果傳統是我們信仰的標準、那就有幾千個不同的信仰標準了 .

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.

熱心或虔誠也不是我們信仰上的標準 . 保羅在寫到關於猶太人時說 : 『弟兄們，我心裏所願的，向 神所求的，是要以色列人得救 . 我可以證明他們向 神有熱心，但不是按著真知識；因爲不知道 神的義，想要立自己的義，就不服 神的義了』 ( 羅 10:1-3). 使徒保羅是全世界最熱心虔誠的人之一、但是他的熱心和虔誠並不能拯救他 . 他還必須遵守 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.

使徒保羅也幫助我們知道感覺跟良心不是我們信仰上的標準 ( 徒 26:9; 23:1; 24:16). 正因爲有感覺和良心、人便被區分成有不同宗教信仰了 . 他們跟從他們的感覺和良心而不是跟從 神的話語 . 我們的良心只有在 神的話的指引下才會是安全的指標 .

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).

教派的信條不是我們信仰上的標準 . 事實上、教派的信條導致了世上宗教信仰的分歧 . 假如一本書的內容多過聖經的內容、那就僭越了 . 如果一本書的內容比聖經的內容少、那就太不足了 . 假如一本書的內容跟聖經的內容完全一樣、我們就不需要這本書因爲我們已經有聖經了 . 聖經告訴我們不可以加添、減少、或更改 神的話 ( 申 4:2; 啓 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).

我們信仰上的標準 - 神的話語

耶穌說、『你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由』 ( 約 8:32). 我們宗教信仰上的標準是真理 . 耶穌也說、『求你用真理使他們成聖；你的道就是真理』 ( 約 17:17). 彼得寫道、『你們既因順從從真理，潔淨了自己的心，以致愛弟兄沒有虛假，就當從心裏彼此切實相愛 . 你們蒙了重生，不是由於能壞的種子，乃是由於不能壞的種子，是借著神活潑常存的道 . 惟有 主的道是永存的 . 所傳給你們的福音就是這道』 ( 彼前 1:22,23,25). 保羅也寫道、『聖經都是 神所默示的，於教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義都是有益的，叫屬 神的人得以完全，預備行各樣的善事』 ( 提後 3:16,17). 『神藉我們所傳的福音召你們到你們到這地步，好得著我們主耶穌基督的榮光』 ( 帖後 2:14). 保羅也說、『我不以福音爲恥；這福音本是 神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是猶太人，後是希利尼人』 ( 羅 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.

我們信仰上的標準是 神的話、是福音、是聖經 . 我們跟從聖經時、才會討 神的喜悅才會收到祂的福氣 .

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