III.      059A    贞洁的喜乐﹕圣经的性伦理简释

IV.       JOY IN PURITY: A Biblical Approach to Sexuality

为什么基督徒在性与贞洁方面挣扎

WHY CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE WITH SEXUALITY AND PURITY

1. 多年来﹐华人对于性伦理感到高度的尴尬。虽然性是人生的很基本的一个层面﹐可是华人(教会)对这方面的讨论﹐往往是可免则免。

Traditionally, sexual ethics has made Chinese people uncomfortable.  Although it is a very basic part of our existence, Chinese people mostly choose to avoid the subject.

2. 可是当代的华人青年/成年每天都被世俗对的性观念所轰炸。结果是﹐我们对性的观念多是世俗的﹐异教的。这对我们灵命的长进﹐造成严重伤害。

But contemporary Chinese young adults are constantly bombarded with the world’s attitude to sin.  The result is that we have adopted a pagan view to sex. This harms our Christian growth.

3. 不少基督徒对于神的旨意的认识非常缺乏 – 他们认为﹐只要感觉心里平安 / 舒服﹐就是神的旨意了 (就是正确的选择了) 。

Some Christians have a woefully inadequate view of God’s will – that if they feel peace doing something, it is God’s will (it is the right thing to do).

4. 今天西方对于“容忍” 的观念的背后﹕伦理与人的尊严的观念都非常弱。

The concept of tolerance today: a weak view of human morality and dignity.

5. 有些中国人认为美国是一个比较开放的国家﹐因此很多<<圣经>>说是犯罪的行为﹐都不知不觉的习以为常﹐以为是理所应当的。

Some Chinese people have taken for granted that the USA is a more open country, and that many sinful practices are common and acceptable.

6. 很多人因为以前犯过的罪而有很深的负罪感 (内疚) 与羞耻感。可是﹐基督

徒往往又不正视罪﹐不面责犯罪者。犯罪而不认罪﹐问题就日益复杂。

Many struggle with guilt and shame over sin we have committed. But Christians do not confront sin in the church.  Thus, unconfessed sin is allowed to fester.

可是﹐虽然如此…Yet, in spite of the above…

我们必须面对一些非常重要的课题

THE NEED TO FACE THE ISSUES INVOLVED

1. 人生是有盼望的﹗

There is hope.

2. 关于男女之间的关系﹐<<圣经>>已订下一些伦理准则。

这些准则记载在神的律法里。

There are Biblical norms to pure relationships between men and women.

These norms are found in God’s Law.

3. “内心感觉平安” 这个原则﹐是不足够决定是否神的旨意的。<<圣经>>告诉

我们﹐我们应该如何感觉﹔究竟什么才是真正的“平安”﹖ 这问题的答案要从

<<圣经>>里去找。我们不可以跟着世俗心理学或世俗文化走。

“Feeling peace about it” is not an adequate, nor a biblical approach to discovering God’s will.  There are Biblical norms as to what feelings we should feel (e.g. what is true “peace in our hearts”?).  We cannot follow secular psychology or secular culture.

4. 我们的青少年。基督徒们问很多诚恳的问题﹔他们要求教会给坦率的答案。

Our young adults demand honest answers to honest questions.

5. 成熟的﹐上一代的基督徒﹐必须学习﹐了解<<圣经>>的教导﹕究竟我们的

信仰如何影响我们对性的态度﹖

Older Christians should also need to understand, and take a stand, on how our Christian faith affects our attitudes toward sex.

贞洁与管教﹕一些基本的原则

PURITY AND DISCIPLINE: BASIC PRINCIPLES

6. 作基督徒的目标之一﹐就是培养一个在神面前清洁的﹐没有内疚的良心。有清洁的良心﹐会带来无限的喜乐与属灵的能力。神不要我们因着淫念而欲火攻心。神也不要我们妒忌﹐苦毒的渡过一生。神要我们 「没有秘密」 地生活。人生的目标就是在神里面完全满足。我们若信靠耶稣基督赦罪之恩﹐满足的心绝对可以得到。神已赐我们帮助﹐引导﹐教我们这样的走人生的道路。

One of the primary goals of the Christian life is to nurture a conscience which is free from guilt before God.  This is a tremendous source of joy and strength.  God does not want us to burn with lust, nor to struggle with envy and bitterness.  God wants us to live “with no secrets.”  Contentment in God is the goal, and it is always available when we put our trust in Christ and his forgiveness.  God has given us guidance and help, for us to live that way.

7. 神是圣洁的神。神的吩咐与要求﹐是我们也要圣洁。 (彼前1﹕15) 虽然我们会犯罪﹐虽然我们活在一个邪恶的文化里﹐可是神的标准是不改变的。我们若不敬畏神﹐而只看别人如何看待我们而做人 (这是从弗莱依德的心理学而来的﹐完全不足够帮助我们生活的原则﹐是与<<圣经>>背道而驰的原则) ﹐我们将永远不能解决我们心中/生活上的问题﹐永远不会经历到神的赐福。

God is holy, and demands that we be holy.  I Peter 1:15.  Our sin and our pagan attitudes do not change God’s standards. As long as we do not fear God, and only live according to what others think of us(a woefully inadequate, and an unbiblical view of life stemming from Sigmund Freud’s secular psychology), we will never solve our problems properly, and experience God’s blessing.

8. 神按照祂的形象创造我们。神是圣洁的﹐祂按照祂的形象造男造女。圣洁是神的形象的一部份﹕创1﹕26-28﹐弗4﹕24﹐西3﹕10。 神也创造我们满有智

慧﹐可以认识真理﹐过着公义的生活。

We were created in the image of God. God is holy, and has created men and women in his own image.  Holiness is part of this: Genesis 1:26-28, Ephesians 4:24,

Colossians 3:10.  God has also created us to be wise and know the truth, and to live

righteously before him.

神对我们的身体﹐我们的欲望与性的旨意

GOD’S WILL FOR OUR BODIES, OUR DESIRES AND SEX

9. 我们的身体在神的眼中是圣洁的﹐是属灵的﹐是重要的﹐就像我们的思想﹐我们的计划在神面前也是同样的重要一样。我们必须尽心﹐尽意﹐尽性﹐尽力 (意思就是﹕尽我们的知﹐情﹐意) 爱主我们的神。

Our bodies are just as holy, spiritual and important to God, as our thoughts, emotions and plans.  We are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and wills.

10. 我们必须保持我们的思想圣洁纯真。我们应该只思想那些在神眼中是高贵﹐美善的事 (腓4﹕8-9) 。这意味着一个原则﹕我们的思想﹐我们的感觉 / 欲望都不是「中立」 的﹕耶稣基督是我们的思想的主﹐是我们的感觉 / 欲望的主﹗ 祂要求我们跟从祂的话﹔祂的话就是真理。

Our minds are to be holy and pure.  We are to think thoughts which are noble and good in God’s eyes (Philippians 4:8-9)  This means that our minds and our desires are not “neutral” areas: Jesus is Lord over our minds and desires!  He wants us to follow His Word, which is truth.

11. 这里有一个意义﹕性本身不是邪恶的﹐不是肮脏的。性本身不是属肉体﹐不属灵的。神创造我们的身体﹐创造性。性是神所赐给人 (男﹐女) 的﹐用来 ﹕(一) 表达爱﹐(二) 让人类繁殖﹐(三) 在婚姻里面享受。人误用性时﹐才是犯罪。

Sex by itself is not dirty.  It is not “fleshly” vs. spiritual.  God created bodies and sex.  Sex is a means which God has given men/women to (a) express love, (b) reproduce the human race, and (c) to enjoy in marriage.  Sex is only sinful when it is misused.

原则应用﹕婚前性关系是干犯了神对人的身体与欲望所设立的界限。它以思

想中的淫念开始﹐以身体上的犯罪结束。

Application: Pre-marital sex is a violation of the boundaries set by God for our bodies and desires.  It begins with sin in our minds, and ends with sinning with our bodies.

原则应用﹕同性恋行为 (包括在思想上帝和行动上的) 违背了神在人类中所

设立的秩序。

Application: Homosexual behavior (including lust in the mind and acts in the body) is a violation of God’s order.

原则应用﹕奸淫是任何违背婚约的罪﹐不论是以思想或以身体犯罪。

Application: Adultery is any violation of marriage covenant, whether by sinning with our minds, or sinning with our bodies.

原则应用﹕淫念与黄色媒体﹐乃是在思想与已眼睛背逆神。

Application: Lust and pornography  are disobedient uses of our minds and eyes.

原则应用﹕召妓是一种误用身体的罪行。这是与娼妓的身体灵魂结合。

Application: Prostitution is a disobedient use of our bodies.  We come into union and fellowship with the prostitute.

原则应用﹕网络上的虚拟性行为是思想上的淫乱，可能引至身体上的犯罪。

Application: Virtual sex is a sin of the mind, which leads to sinning with our bodies.

真爱﹕信靠神﹐尊重我们的邻居

TRUE LOVE: TRUSTING GOD, HONORING OUR NEIGHBORS

12. 我们必须相信﹐神给我们的﹐都是为我们最好的。当我们以我们的身体﹐思想或欲望顺服神的时候﹐神与我们同行﹐给我们释放的良心。

We must believe that God desires our highest good.  When we obey God in our bodies, minds and desires, He walks with us and gives us that free conscience.

13. 我们也必须知道﹕别人也是按神的形象被造的。神按照祂的形象造人的涵意就﹕我们不可得罪别人。别人有作人的尊严﹐不可侵犯。这包括他们的私隐﹐和他们身体与心灵的神圣﹐整全性。若已婚者﹐他们婚姻的圣洁也应当尊重。

Other people are created in the image of God. God’s creation of human beings in his   own image also means that: we are not to sin against others.  They have a certain dignity which is not to be violated.  This includes the privacy and integrity of their bodies and hearts, and the integrity of their marriage (if married).

十诫吩咐我们要尊重别人的好处和声誉。我们不可杀人﹐不可偷盗﹐不可作假见证﹐因为我们理当爱我们的邻舍﹐尊重他们的财务。(见下﹐#11)

The Ten Commandments directs us to honor other people’s well being and

reputation.  We are not to kill, not to steal, not to bear false witness, because we

should love our neighbors, and honor his/her possessions.  (see below, #11)

原则应用﹕我们若以淫念看别人的身体与衣服﹐便侵犯了他们的身体与灵魂。

Application: We violate other people’s bodies and souls, when we look at other

people’s clothing or bodies with lust.

例﹕当我们的衣服挑逗别人的思想(淫念) 时﹐我们就称为别人的绊脚石。

Example: We cause other people to stumble, lust and sin, when we dress or act in

provocative ways, to lure others to lust after us.  (“Stumble-wear”)

例﹕堕胎乃是杀一个(还未出生的) 人。

Example: Abortion is the killing of another (unborn) person.

例﹕因别人的恋爱﹐婚姻而妒忌与苦毒﹐乃是由于向神不感恩﹐同时不尊重

别人 (别人是按照神的形象被造的) 。

Example: Jealousy, envy and bitterness over someone else’s relationships and

marriage, are rooted in ungratefulness to God, and disrespect for other people who

are created in the image of God.

附带一点﹕<<圣经>>多提到人的尊严﹐少提到人的权利。

By the way, the Bible speaks more of the dignity of people, than human rights.

联合国的国际人权宣言是<<圣经>>教义的世俗化版本。<<圣经>>教导的是

﹐神按照祂的形象造人﹐因此人有尊严。

The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a secular version of

The teaching of the Bible concerning the image of God in man.

爱就是尊重我们的邻居﹐谋求邻居最高的好处。爱的本质﹐不是一种感觉。

Love is honoring and seeking the best for our neighbor – it is not a feeling.

真自由﹕我们要负责任

TRUE FREEDOM: WE ARE RESPONSIBLE

14. 我们所作的一切﹐都要向神负责。亚当与夏娃犯罪堕落之后﹐神问他们﹕

你在哪里﹖创世记3章。我们不可能逃避神的。诗篇139。

We are accountable to God for what we do. When man (Adam and Eve) had sinned, God asked: Where are you?  Genesis 3.  We cannot hide from God – Psalm 139.

15. 神的审判是真的﹐是一个不能逃避的事实。虽然神是充满恩典与爱的神﹐对我们这些堕落了的罪人施恩﹐可是﹐神也是圣洁的神。神绝对不会违背自己的性格的。出埃及记34﹕7下。

Judgment is real. While God is gracious and loving toward humans even after we have sinned and fallen, God is also holy. God is true to his character.  Exodus 34:7b.

16. 神的审判﹐包括惩罚。神将亚当与夏娃从伊颠园赶出来。虽然还是有恩典﹐怜悯(神为他们用动物的皮子作了裙子) ﹐最带来两个后果﹕

• 属灵的﹕永死﹔
• 属世的﹐今生的﹕罪进入了人间。(罗马5﹕12-19)

神必然审判﹔审判会带来后果﹗可是﹐这并不意味着神不是恩典﹐怜悯的神。

Judgment includes punishment. Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden. Even though there is grace and mercy (God made skirts of skin for them),

there are two kinds of consequences to sin:

• spiritual (eternal death), and
• temporal (sin enters the world of humans). (Romans 5:12-19)

Punishment, as well as consequences, do not mean that God is not gracious.

17. 我们对别人如何行﹐我们要为这些负责。我们要向神负责。神并不接受该

隐的解释﹕我岂是我的弟兄的看守者﹖很多时候﹐当我们犯罪得罪神的时候

﹐我们同时得罪了别人 (按照神的形象被造的人) 。

We are accountable for what we do to others. God holds us accountable.  He does not accept Cain’s response: Am I my brother’s keeper?  Often when we sin against God, we also sin against our fellow human beings created in the image of  God.

18. 当我们不愿意向神负责时﹐我们会经历到内疚与羞耻。

When we are not willing to be accountable before God, guilt and shame results.

神的旨意﹕尊重神的律法﹐经历神的恩典

GOD’S WILL: HONORING GOD’S LAW,

EXPERIENCING GOD’S GRACE

19. 神已经颁发了祂圣洁的律法。我们不可犯奸淫。我们不可侵犯别人的身体﹐别人的纯洁﹐别人神圣的婚姻。我们不可作假见证。我们不可贪心。

God gave us His law. We are not to commit adultery: we are not to violate others’ bodies, purity, marriage.  We shall not give false witnesses, we are not to covet.

20. 神的律法今天仍然生效。律法在三方面对我们有用﹕

• 让全人类知道神圣洁﹐普世的准则。
• 让罪人知道自己的需要﹐知道需要来到基督面前。
• 让基督徒有一个准则来过讨神喜悦的生活。

The law of God is valid today.  It is useful in three ways:

1. For mankind to know God’s universal, holy standards.
2. For sinners to realize our need for Christ.
3. For Christians, as a guideline to holy living pleasing to God.
4. 神要求祂的子民教导祂的律法。申命记六章。把律法涂在门坎上﹐等。

意思是﹕父母必须教导儿女﹐制造环境让儿女学习神的话。

家庭与教会﹐是神设立的制度﹐以教导神的律法。

问题是﹕我们今天很缺乏家庭与教会的教导与保护。

God expects his people to teach His law.  Deuteronomy 6

Painting the law on doorposts: parents are to teach their children.

The family and the church are institutions ordained by God to teach His law.

Problem: we do not have the protection/teaching of the family/church today.

22. 神是恩典的神。人类堕落之后﹐神立刻开始成就救恩。不只是医治罪在我们今生造成的后果。乃是对我们属灵的问题﹕惩罚﹐提供真正的解决方案。

救法就是耶稣基督的宝血。神的确赦免那些悔改﹐信靠耶稣基督的宝血的人。而我们呢﹖我们应该饶恕悔改﹐信靠耶稣基督(得罪我们)的人。

God is gracious.  When mankind has fallen, God immediately provided for our

salvation.  Not just healing us of our temporal consequences, but a true solution to our

spiritual punishment. The solution, in short, is the blood of Jesus Christ. God does

forgive those who repent and trust in the blood of Jesus. By extension, we are to

forgive others who repent and trust in Christ.

23. 悔改乃是答案。是得到与神和好的唯一道路。

我们犯罪﹐跌倒时﹐造借口是没用的。

解决罪这问题的方法﹐就是悔改。诗篇51篇。

我唯独犯罪得罪你﹐神。

悔改应该结出果子。 (见﹕施洗约翰的信息。)

悔改当然包括对我们的罪负责。

Repentance is the solution; it is the way to peace with God.

When we sin and fail, the solution is not to make excuses.

The solution is true repentance.  Psalm 51

Against You, and You only, have I sinned (David, Psalm 51).

Repentance should issue forth fruit.   (Cf. John the Baptist).

Repentance certainly includes accepting responsibility for our sin.

24. 神是怜悯的神: 神是恩典的神。祂解决了罪的问题。

神也是怜悯的神。祂医治我们的痛苦﹐因为我们面对的﹐正是罪在今生所带来的后遗症。耶稣基督应许﹕祂永不离弃我们。(马太福音28﹕19-20)

God is merciful.  God is gracious – he solved our sin problem. God is also merciful –

he heals us in our suffering, as we face temporal consequences of sin.  Jesus promises

never to leave us.  (Matthew 28:19-20).

神所给的真盼望﹐真帮助

REAL HOPE AND REAL HELP, GOD’S WAY

25. 我们的心思意念必须更新。我们成为基督徒时﹐我们就要开始学习一些新的

态度﹐新的价值观﹐新的看法。我们必须心意更新而变化﹕意思就是说﹐要学习新的宇宙人生观。罗马书12﹕2

Our minds need to be renewed.  When we become Christians, we need to learn to

learn new attitudes, values, perspectives, and values. We are to be transformed by the

renewal of our minds.  Romans 12: 2

若要克服淫念或克服苦毒﹐我们须要有神的话﹐神的旨意充满我们心思意念。

To overcome lust or bitterness, you need God’s Word to fill your minds.

26. 神的救赎计划包括﹕耶稣基督来到世界上﹐建立祂的教会。教会是什么﹖

教会碎尸神的子民﹐是基督的身体﹐神的子民被基督的血洁净了﹐被神

呼召成为圣洁﹐作属神的子民。

God’s plan of salvation included the fact that Jesus Christ came to establish his

church on earth.  The church is the fellowship of God’s people, washed by the blood

of Jesus Christ, called to be holy, God’s own possession.

教会存在的目的﹕ 敬拜神﹐

彼此建立﹐让信徒们成熟﹐学像基督﹐

在世界上见证耶稣基督恩典的福音。

The church exists to:

• worship God,
• build believers up to be like Christ, and
• witness to the gospel of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27. 团契﹐交通是需要包括责任的﹐我们必须彼此守望﹐彼此负责。民数记﹕神

的子民是册上有名的。我们须要以爱心说真理 (诚实话) – 弗4﹕15。

Fellowship includes accountability and responsibilities.  Numbers: God’s people are

counted.  Speak the truth in love – Ephesians 4:15

28. 团契﹐交通是属灵的结合。我们身为基督的身体﹐乃是与其他的弟兄姊妹

接连﹐成为一个身体。

羞耻的问题﹕我们必须面对真理 / 真相。不然的话﹕只能在暗中秘密做人。

Fellowship is a spiritual bond. We are bonded to each other as the body of Christ.

Issue of shame: face the truth.  Alternative: secrecy.

29. 教会是新约的盟约团体﹐有责任为我们提供属灵的保护。你我都需要属灵的

保护﹐特别是在今天﹐家庭﹐家族已经不再提供道德上帝保护与监管。

The church as the covenant community gives us spiritual protection.  You and I need

spiritual protection, especially in an age when the extended family is not available.

30. 神在教会里订下了领袖的职位。长老们是团队领导﹐提供保护﹐负责团体。

出埃及记﹕摩西的岳父的劝告。 尼赫迈亚﹕组织领袖﹔按照家庭分派工作。

新约﹕按立长老。

God has ordained leadership in the church: team leadership, to provide protection

and accountability.  Exodus: advice from Moses’ father-in-law

Nehemiah: organizing the leaders; assignments according to household

New Testament: elders

31. 教会的领袖们﹐必须在教导与管教方面带领会众。

管教是有神设立的步骤的:  马太福音18﹕15-18

第一步﹕私下面责。  第二步﹕带一﹐两个见证人面责。

第三步﹕告诉教会。  第四步﹕开除会籍。 必须跟这个次序﹗

管教的目的﹕饶恕与重新建立一个生命。

Leaders are to lead in teaching and discipline.

THERE ARE PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN DISICPLINE

Matthew 18:15-18

1. one on one confrontation.
2. confrontation with a couple of witnesses.
3. tell it to the church.
4. Expel the unrepentant sinner from the church.

In the proper order !

Purpose: forgiveness, and restoration

两个常被误会的观念

TWO TERMS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD

32. 不可论断﹐与判断 (审判) 的必需性﹐两者是不同的﹐也不矛盾的。

林前六章﹕神让基督徒有智慧﹐有能力在教会里﹐对罪作出判断。

马太福音七章﹕论断是指一种态度。觉得比别人强﹐比别人圣洁。

事实上﹐我们都是罪人﹐基督徒都是蒙恩的罪人。

对罪作出判断﹐是神给教会的责任之一。

There is a difference between “judging” and “being judgmental”:

I Corinthians 6 – God has made us competent to judge.

Matthew 7 — Being judgmental is an attitude.   I am holier than you.

We are all sinners, saved by grace.

Pronouncing judgment is a duty God has given to the church.

33. 我们必须称罪为罪。这样﹐有赦免的可能﹗

在我们的了解里﹐神的恩典与神的公义必须连在一起。

Call sin sin. Because forgiveness is available!

HOLD GRACE AND JUSTICE TOGETHER

结论 / 应用CONCLUSION/APPLICATION

34. 你经历了神的恩典﹐神赦罪的恩典吗﹖

Do you know God’s grace and forgiveness in your life?

35. 你熟识神的律法吗﹖你真的愿意遵守神的律法吗﹖

How well do you understand God’s law?  How willing are you to obey?

36. 你有没有采取行动让你的心意更新而变化﹐从神的角度来看事情﹖

What steps have you taken to be renewed in your mind about issues and standards?

37. 你需要帮助吗﹖你需要为自己的生活负责吗﹖向别人负责﹖你需要教会的管

教吗﹖你需要长辈﹐教会的保护吗﹖你需要引导吗﹖

Do you need help?  Counseling? Protection?  Accountability?  Discipline? Guidance?

38. 我们究竟教导我们的青少年什么东西﹖

诗篇51 – 戴维求神﹐让他向将来的世代教导 (宣讲) 神的恩典。

诗篇102 – 戴维虽然绝望﹐可是绝望化为盼望﹐戴维深信神将来还要动工。

What are we teaching our youth?

Psalm 51 – David prayed to teach future generations about God’s grace.

Psalm 102 – Despair ended with hope for God’s work in a future generation.

059B    《圣经》的婚姻﹐离婚﹐与再婚观

MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND RE-MARRIAGE IN THE BIBLE

经文﹕

创Genesis 2: 24         申Deuteronomy 24:1-4           箴Proverbs 2:17

玛Malachi 2:13-16          太Matthew 5:31, 32 (esp. 32) 太Matthew 18:15-18

太Matthew 19:3-9 (esp. 9)      林前I Corinthians 7:10-16

引言﹕为什么需要讨论这题目﹖

Introduction.  Why Discuss the Topic?

在基督徒中间﹐包括华人福音派教会的信徒﹐离婚越来越普遍。

Divorce is increasingly common among Christians.   No longer a taboo word.

当基督徒离婚时﹐影响到很多人。小孩亲戚﹐全教会等。

Many are affected, and suffer the consequences, when divorce happens.

神在《圣经》中对于婚姻﹐离婚与再婚有清楚的教导。我们不需﹐也不应该只靠我们自己的想法(常识) 来正视这些问题。

God has spoken on marriage, divorce, and re-marriage.  Don’t go by our own

ideas.

神为离婚中的受害者提供帮助﹐支持与安慰。林前10﹕13

God offers help, support and comfort for those who suffer the consequences of divorce.  I Cor. 10:13

基督徒常常对于爱的真义﹐婚姻﹐离婚﹐性﹐罪与再婚有不合乎<<圣经>>的观念。罗马书12﹕2

Christians often have un-biblical ideas about love, marriage, divorce, sex, sin and re-marriage.  Romans 12:2

我们应该彼此担当重担(加6﹕2) 。因此﹐我们需要神的教导。

We are to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).  So God’s instructions are

necessary.

对离婚有正确的认识﹐可以帮助单身的青年基督徒好好的准备结婚。

Understanding this helps single people prepare properly, biblically for marriage.

I.  婚姻 Marriage

1. 神设立婚姻﹐为了给人同伴(创2﹕18)。神也吩咐人类要生养众多﹐遍满全地(创1﹕26-28) 。婚姻不是人想出来的﹐是神所设立的。

(神当然知道人类会否人口爆炸﹐小孩的大学教育太贵等问题﹗神仍然坐在宝座上﹗)

God instituted marriage for companionship (Genesis 2:18).  God also wanted man and woman to multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:26-28).  Marriage is not our idea; it’s God’s idea.     (Now God of course knows about the population explosion problem, and the expenses of a child’s education, etc.!  God is sovereign!)

1. 婚姻不是圣礼(我们不同意天主教的教导) 。结婚并不让我们得到更多的救恩

。单身也并不等于更加属灵。

婚姻是一个盟约。是在神面前﹐证人面前立志﹐立约﹐终生爱对方。

(无论在教会行礼﹐或在政府面前﹐交换了誓约﹐就是结了婚了﹗)

Marriage is not a sacrament (as the Catholic church teaches).  By getting married, you do not gain more grace/salvation.  Nor is singleness more holy/spiritual.

Marriage is a covenant.  It is a commitment, a vow before God, to love until death.

(Whether done in a church or in front of a government official, once vows are exchanged, two persons are married!)

箴2﹕17

Proverbs 2:17: “that leaves the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.”

玛拉基书2﹕14

Malachi 2:14: “the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.”

1. 爱的真义是什么﹖(林前13章)

爱就是﹕决志为对方的最高好处而活。爱不是一个感觉。爱里有感觉﹐爱

也透过感觉来表达。

这个功课﹐神要我们用一辈子来学习。

What is love?  (I Corinthians 13)  It is a decision to live and act for the other’s highest good.  It is not a feeling, though love is expressed with feelings.

This, of course, is a lesson which God wants us to take a whole lifetime to learn.

1. 离婚 Divorce

1. 神恨恶离婚。离婚从来就不是神的计划。离婚是人类堕落的后果。

God hates divorce. Divorce is never God’s intention.   Divorce is a consequence of the fall of mankind.

玛拉基书2﹕16

Malachi 2:16: “‘For I hate divorce,’ says the Lord, the God of Israel.”

可是在人类中﹐离婚的确会发生。因此神虽然恨恶离婚﹐可是祂管制离婚。

(例如﹕申24章﹐太19章﹐林前7章等。)

But divorce happens.  Though God hates divorce, He regulates it (e.g. Deut. 24, Mt. 19, I Cor. 7).

1. 虽然神管制离婚﹐可是神的旨意从来就是﹕一男﹐一女 = 一体。

Even though God regulates divorce, God’s will is  – one man, one woman = one flesh.

太19﹕6

“What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:6)

1. 耶稣教导祂的门徒(基督徒) ﹕不可离婚。离婚乃将婚约破除。

Jesus instructs his followers (Christians): do not divorce.  Divorce breaks the

marriage.

太5﹕ 31-32

“It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’: but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except of the reason of unchastity (fornication), makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32)

4. 不合乎《圣经》的离婚之后﹐若再婚乃是奸淫﹐因为这个后来的婚姻

损害了先头的婚姻的圣洁。

注﹕可能很多基督徒目前活在这种的婚姻当中﹔可是不要随便再离婚﹔

悔改必蒙赦免﹗

After a divorce not warranted by the Bible, if either one enters into another marriage, the subsequent marriage is adulterous because it has violated the sanctity of the first marriage.

Note: Many Christians may be living in such “adulterous” 2^nd marriages.  However this does not mean that they should hastily go and get another divorce.  When we repent of our sins, God promises forgiveness!

5. 耶稣提出一个例外情况﹕淫乱。

注﹕淫乱(fornication)  = 所有与性有关的罪。

奸淫 (adultery) = 任何违背婚约﹐不忠的行为。

这两个字在《圣经》里有特定的用法。

太5﹕32

太19﹕9

Jesus provides one exception: fornication.

Note: “Fornication” is any kind of sexual sin.  “Adultery” is any unfaithfulness which  violates the marriage vow, sexual or not.

“Except for the reason of unchastity (fornication)” (Matthew 5:32).

“And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”  (Matthew 19:9)

耶稣在《马太福音》19﹕9针对的﹐是犹太人太容易﹐太轻率地离婚。神虽然管制

离婚﹐要求人离婚时必需给对方休书﹐可是神从来不鼓励人离婚。神从来没有在任何情况里要求人必须离婚﹗

In Matthew 19:9, Jesus is rebuking the Jews for easy divorces.  Though God regulated through certificates of divorce, he did not encourage divorce.  God never requires/encourages divorce!

《申命记》24﹕1-4 描述一个情况﹕男人休了妻子﹐因为她不悦目。她再婚﹐

第二个丈夫也因为不悦目她而休了她。两次的离婚﹐都是不合乎神的心意

的。可是﹐离婚在神的眼中是那么的严重﹕当第二个丈夫死后﹐第一个丈夫

不可再娶这女人为妻。人再婚后﹐与前配偶和好再嫁/娶就不可能了。

(注﹕不悦目–原文的意思不容易确定。)

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 describes a situation:  a woman is divorced twice for “unpleasantness”– God does not approve of either divorce.  But divorce is so serious in God’s eyes, that it cannot be remedied through reconciliation, once re-marriage has happened.

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency (unpleasantness) in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife,

and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an

abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)

我们必须从《马太福音》18﹕15-18的角度来看《马太福音》19﹕9。两处经文都是耶稣的教导﹗若有基督徒犯了淫乱的罪﹐教会应该跟着马太18﹕15-18的四步骤﹕

(一) 私下面责﹔(二) 带一﹐两个证人面责﹔(三) 告诉教会﹔(四) 开除会籍

﹐把他当作外人﹐非信徒对待。

若在第1﹐2﹐3步中﹐他悔改了﹐那么他应与神﹐与配偶和好。

太18﹕15-18

Understand Matthew 19:9 in light of Matthew 18:15-18.  Jesus is speaking in both places.  When a Christian commits fornication, the church must follow 4 steps: (1) speak privately to him, (2) bring witnesses, (3) tell it to the church, (4) if he does not repent, expel him, regard him as a non-believer.  If  the Christian repents (in steps 1-3), restore him, reconcile him to his spouse.

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.   If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuse to listen to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and tax collector.  Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:15-18)

纪律(管教) 是耶稣基督对全教会清楚的吩咐(就像洗礼与圣餐是耶稣清楚吩咐的一样) 。纪律的目标﹐一定是恢复犯罪者与神的关系﹐和与人(家庭) 和好。

若好好执行纪律的话﹐教会必定更健康。这需要勤劳的事奉﹐是不容易的﹗很多教

会在这方面亏欠/懒惰。

Discipline is explicitly commanded by Jesus, like baptism and the Lord’s Supper are.  The goal of discipline (Matthew 18) is always to reconcile people to God and others.  Discipline contributes to the spiritual health of the church.  It is hard work!  (Churches are grossly negligent here.)

《马太福音》18﹐19章要一起来读。(一) 基督徒不可(主动) 离婚。(二) 基督徒若犯淫乱﹐教会应该按《马太福音》18章的程序处理。(三) 犯罪者若不悔改﹐那么另一方可以离婚。神从来没有吩咐基督徒离婚﹐神从来没有鼓励基督徒离婚﹔在这个情况﹐神容许基督徒离婚。(注﹕对方已经不是基督徒了。)

Put Matthew 18 and 19 together: (a) Christians must not divorce.  (b) If a Christian commits fornication, follow the 4 steps in Matthew 18.  (c) If the sinner does not repent, the Christian has the option to divorce. Divorce is never commanded/encouraged by God; it is allowed here.

保罗在《哥林多前书》7﹕10-11所教导的﹐与耶稣的教导完全符合。基督徒不可彼此离婚。

I Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul teaches the same thing as Jesus.  Christians cannot divorce each other.

可是在《哥林多前书》7﹕12-16﹐ 保罗处理了另外一种情况﹐是耶稣在福音书里没有处理的。(因此保罗说﹐「不是主说﹐是我说。」)
(一) 基督徒弟配偶若不是基督徒﹐那么基督徒不可提出离婚﹐要与非信徒

同住。(二) 若非信徒要离开﹐那么基督徒必须让他离开(离婚) 。神吩咐基

督徒要容许非信徒离婚(若后者要这样作的话) 。

林前7﹕10-15

In verses 12-16, Paul deals with a second scenario which Jesus did not deal with: (a) If a Christian has a non-Christian spouse, the Christian must live with him/her.  (b)If  the non-Christian leaves (i.e., divorces the Christian), the Christian is commanded to allow for the divorce, for peace’s sake.

“But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.  But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.  And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away.  For the unbelieving husband I sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.  Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.”  (I Corinthians 7:10-15)

在《哥林多前书》7﹕12-15﹐保罗说﹐因为有基督徒在一个家庭里﹐那些非信徒都成为「圣洁」了﹗

In I Cor. 7:12-15, non-Christians are “holy” because a Christian is in the home!

结论﹕ (一) 《马太福音》18﹐19章教导我们﹐基督徒弟基督徒配偶﹐若犯淫乱﹐而不悔改也不听教会的纪律/管教的话﹐基督徒可以离婚 (到那个地步﹐对方已经不是基督徒了) 。(二) 《哥林多前书》7﹕12-15教导我们﹐当一个非基督徒向一个基督徒提出离婚时﹐基督徒必须容许离婚。在这两个例外情况下﹐神容许基督徒离婚。

Conclusion: (a) Matthew 18 and 19 teaches that, if a Christian’s Christian spouse commits fornication, does not repent and does not heed discipline, the Christian can divorce his/her spouse (who by now is regarded as a non-believer).  (b) I Corinthians 7:12-15 teaches that when a non-Christian divorces a Christian, the Christian must allow for this divorce and go through with it.  These are the two situations where God allows the Christian to participate in a divorce.

请注意﹕所谓心灵的创伤﹐从来就不是《圣经》提供的离婚理由。可是﹐教会必须根据马太福音18执行处理犯罪事件﹐这包括一个配偶不遵行婚约的义务﹐如离弃家庭﹐或虐待等。有身体/生命危险时﹐教会应立刻采取行动保护受害者。

Note that “mental pain” is never given as a reason for Christians to divorce.  The church, however, must follow Matthew 18 and exercise discipline when a spouse neglects or violates his/her marriage obligations (e.g. by desertion or physical abuse).  If there is physical danger, the church should act immediately to protect the injured/potential victims.

III.  再婚 Re-marriage

在《哥林多前书》7﹕15﹐当基督徒让非基督徒离婚之后﹐可以再婚。这是最自然解释14﹐15节的方法。英文﹕在这些事上﹐我们不被捆绑。

In I Corinthians 7:15, a Christian who participates in a divorce initiated by his/her non-Christian spouse, is allowed to re-marry.

“ Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.”  (I Cor. 7:10-15)

我们的结论是﹐在《马太福音》19﹕9﹐耶稣让基督徒离婚﹐当对方犯

淫乱﹐不肯悔改也不听教会的管教时。基督徒若离婚﹐可以再婚。

We conclude that in Matthew 19:9, Jesus allows divorce to happen in the exceptional case of fornication (with the understanding that, reconciliation is not possible because the fornicator refuses to repent and refuses to heed discipline.)

The most natural interpretation is: he/she who divorces under these circumstances, can remarry.

Jay Adams, Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible (Zondervan 1980).

“Divorce and Remarriage,” PCA Digest: Position Papers 1973-1993 (info: www.pcanet.org; www.gcp.org).  pp. 182-293.

June 9, 2002

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