Living in Christ’s Church Session 37

《教会论与教会生活》 第37讲

主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立、爱的天空&ZJY(CGY)_文字:傅昱川

我们继续讲The Forms of Ministry,教会事工的第三段,教会事工的形式(或者是职分)。

With the purposes and means of the ministry of the church before us, 我们已经看到了教会事工的三种的目的,还有三种的方法,we may now ask, “Who are to conduct this ministry?现在我们可以问:谁来从事这事工呢?How are they organized to do it? 他们应当怎样被组织起来,来从事事工呢?The answer is that those who minister in the church of Christ are called to their task by God. 回答(案)就是:那些在基督的教会里面服事的人,是由上帝呼召他们从事事工的。

The author of Hebrews points out that no man could take the honor of the priesthood to himself but must be called by God as Aaron was (Heb. 5:4) 希伯来书5:4节告诉我们:这大祭司的尊荣,没有人自取。惟要蒙上帝所召,像亚伦一样。

As Christian brothers and sisters we have a heavenly calling. 我们是基督徒的弟兄和姊妹们,我们有从天上来的呼召的,the calling of Jesus Christ, 从耶稣基督来的呼召,our great High Priest, 祂是我们的大祭司。希伯来书3:1节:“同蒙天召的圣洁弟兄啊,你们应当思想我们所认为使者、为大祭司的耶稣。”

Some Christians, reacting against the abuse of office in Christ’s church, 有些基督徒作出一种反动的态度,他们反对在基督教会里面一些的教会职位被滥用,have held that all office was abolished with the passing of the Old Testament priesthood.他们就认为,当旧约的祭司制度成为过去的时候,教会所有的职分都废除了。In a sense almost the opposite is true. 事实上呢,应该说相反的才是事实。

Far from there being no officers in the church of Christ,we are all officers in the church. 新约的教会绝对不是没有职分,事实上,我们都是教会里面领受职分者。Christ is our Mediator and great High Priest, 耶稣基督是我们的中保,我们的大祭司,and we are united to him, 我们与祂合而为一,sharing the blessing of his calling. 我们在祂呼召的福气上有份的。

The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers was precious to the Reformers and is no less important Today.「众信徒皆祭司」这个教义,对宗教改革的改教家们是很宝贵的,今天同样的是很重要的。On the other hand, 反过来说,while we have the blessings and benefits of Christ’s priesthood, 我们有基督作为祭司所带来的福气和好处,we cannot be priests as He is. 我们不能好像基督是祭司那样地做祭司。

The office of Christ is unique in the church. 基督在教会里所担任的职分是独特的,There is one Mediator between God and man, 神人之间只有一个中保,and one priest who has entered the sanctuary of heaven. 只有一个祭司进入到天上的至圣所的。Christ’s authority is absolute. 基督的权柄,是绝对的权柄。The power of the sword is His as the judge in heaven, 祂是天上的审判者,所以,配刀剑的权柄是祂的(马太福音28:18节),天上地下一切的权柄都交给祂;还有使徒行传12:23节。

We do not now share Christ’s rule over the world, 现在我们并没有与基督一同治理全世界,nor do we yet judge the world,我们现在也还没有到审判世界的时候的。哥林多前书4:8节:“你们已经饱足了!已经丰富了!不用我们,自己就作王了!我愿意你们果真作王,叫我们也得与你们一同作王。”6:2-3节:“岂不知圣徒要审判世界吗?若世界为你们所审,难道你们不配审判这最小的事吗?岂不知我们要审判天使吗?何况今生的事呢?”

Yet we know that the ruler of the church is Lord of the world. 但是,我们同时知道那位治理教会的,是世界的主宰。In the church we experience the meaning of the new humanity that Christ came to redeem and establish. 在教会里面我们就经验到,耶稣基督来救赎的那个新人类,来建立那个新人类的意义。We therefore rejoice in His finished work as the second Adam. 因此,我们欢喜快乐,因为耶稣基督身为第二个亚当,祂的工作是已经完结了。

Under the Lordship of Christ we are all called to minister to him, to one another and to the world. 我们都服在基督的主权之下, 祂呼召我们每一个人服事祂、彼此服事,也是向世界服事。Every Christian is adopted in Christ, 每一个基督徒在基督里,都是被收养的儿女,made a son or daughter of God, 成为上帝的儿、女,by virtue of Christ’s sonship. 因为耶稣基督是神的子。

At the same time, every Christian is called to a stewardship, a ministry. 与此同时,上帝呼召每一个基督徒作好管家,从事某一种的事工。The Christian has both a status as a child of God and a function as a servant of the Kingdom. 每一位基督徒有一个地位:他是神的孩子;也有一个功能:他是天国的仆人。His or her function is never carried out in isolation, 他的功能永远不是孤独地执行的,but always in the fellowship of Christ’s body. 都是在基督的身体、教会的团契中来执行的。This has been called the general office of all believers. 这个被称为所有信徒的「一般性的职分」。

The term may sound a little vague but its meaning is crucial.「一般性的职分」听起来好像很含糊,但是,它的意义是很关键性的。It means that every Christian is called of Christ意思就是说,每一位基督徒都有基督的呼召,and has a role to play in the work of the Kingdom. 在天国的工作上,每一个基督徒都有他应扮演的角色。That role can be filled by no one else, 没有别人可以代替这个基督徒扮演这个角色,and carries with it the authority of Christ for its accomplishment. 为要成就、为要扮演这个角色,有耶稣基督的权柄与这个工作一起的给基督徒的。

Calling in the New Testament is always related to the gifts Christ has given us. 在新约里面讲到上帝呼召我们,一定是与耶稣基督给我们的恩赐相连的。Our spiritual gifts are not given for us to wrap in a napkin, but to use. 上帝给我们属灵的恩赐,不是要我们把它用餐巾包好,乃是要使用这些恩赐的。The sphere that is defined by their use is the sphere of our calling. 那这个恩赐要在怎么样的一个范围里面,来使用呢?这个就是上帝给我们的呼召的范围了。

The Apostle Paul used the expression: “I say by the grace given me … ” (Rom. 12:3). 保罗是这样说的,他说:我凭着所赐我的恩(罗马书12:3节 )。What he means by that is, 他的意思就是”I say as an apostle.” 他的意思就是说,我作为使徒这样说。It was the grace given to Paul that qualified him to be an apostle and to do the work of an apostle. 赐给保罗的恩典就是这个,使他有作使徒的资格,也使他能够做出使徒的工作来。

未经同意,请勿擅自在其它网站或平台转载和刊登课程的逐字稿;课程的逐字稿的版权归「中华展望」,禁止复印出版等商业用途。ccnci.org中华展望圣约学院[email protected]

Every Christian has gifts for serving the Lord. 每一个基督徒都有一些的恩赐,用来服事主的。Paul urges us to be sober and realistic in evaluating our gifts (Rom. 12:3). 保罗在罗马书12:3节劝告我们,在我们评估我们的恩赐的时候,要谨慎、要现实。罗马书12:3 节:“不要看自己过于所当看的;要照着上帝所分给各人信心的大小,看得合乎中道。”We must not be conceited, 我们不可以骄傲,boasting of gifts that we do not possess, 不可以夸耀我们就没有的那些的恩赐,attempting to serve in spotlight roles for which we are unqualified. 我们没有那些恩赐,我们就没有资格去做那些在霓虹灯下的事工。

On the other hand, realism is not false modesty. 但是,反过来说,对我们的恩赐很现实,不是一种虚伪的谦卑。As we serve the Lord and know His blessing, 当我们服事主,经历到祂的福气的时候,we become aware of gifts that we have received. 我们就会体会到上帝给了我们,我们领受了哪些的恩赐?It is not always easy (or necessary)to distinguish between natural and spiritual gifts. 天然的恩赐和属灵的恩赐之间,做出区分呢,不一定容易,甚至乎不一定是必须的。

Our natural gifts have their source in the Creator Spirit, 我们天然的恩赐的来源就是那位创造主圣灵,and are renewed by the Spirit as we are made new creatures in Christ. 我们是由圣灵所更新,我们有圣灵使我们成为在基督里的新造的人。

Prayerful reflection and discussion with friends will help us to identify our gifts. 我们用祷告的心去反省,与朋友们讨论,会帮助我们看出我们的恩赐来。Yet we must realize that it is in service that our gifts will come to light. 但是,我们必须要看到:当我们服事的时候,我们的恩赐就越发地显明。They are proved as we are approved and found pleasing to the Lord. 当我们经过考验,在主面前是蒙祂喜悦的人的时候,就证实了我们的恩赐。

Christ’s servants are task-oriented, 基督的仆人们是事工导向的,we hear the Great Commission, 我们听到了大使命,and we set about the work of witness. 因此,我们就动手从事见证的宣教事工。

We read the “one another” commands in the Epistles,我们读到新约书信里面讲到“彼此怎么、彼此怎么”,and we start to minister to other members of the body of Christ. 那么,我们就开始从事服事其他的肢体。We lead family prayer. 我们在家里带领祷告,and are drawn into the joy of worship.我们进入到敬拜的喜乐中。

We must be alert to the opportunities the Lord offers us and redeem the time. 我们必须要警醒、察觉到主所给我们的机会,我们必须把宝贵的光阴赎回。We are called to serve the Lord with zeal and imagination, 上帝呼召我们要以热心、要以创意的想象力来服事主,looking and praying for open doors of service. 我们要寻找,要求 神赐给我们更多敞开的门,来做服事的。

我们来看一些的经文:哥林多后书6:2 节:因为他说:“在悦纳的时候,我应允了你;在拯救的日子,我搭救了你。”看哪,现在正是悦纳的时候!现在正是拯救的日子。以弗所书5:15 节:你们要谨慎行事,不要像愚昧人,当像智慧人。歌罗西书1:9~10节:因此,我们自从听见的日子,也就为你们不住地祷告祈求,愿你们在一切属灵的智慧悟性上,满心知道上帝的旨意;好叫你们行事为人对得起主,凡事蒙他喜悦,在一切善事上结果子,渐渐地多知道上帝。腓立比书1:10节: 使你们能分别是非,作诚实无过的人,直到基督的日子。路加福音12:35节开始,这段讲到我们要警醒,因为不知道什么时候主人要来到。

Our individual gifts cause us to differ from others. 我们个别的恩赐使我们与别的基督徒不一样。For that very reason we should use them to serve others and receive the ministry of others. 就是因为这个缘故,我们要用我们的恩赐来服事别人,也领受别人的服事。Only when the eye serves as an eye and the foot as a foot does the whole body enjoy the harmony of a created organism. 唯独当眼睛作为眼睛服事、脚作为脚来服事的时候,整个的身体才能够享受到一个被造的生命体的和谐。Our own gifts form a pattern, 我们的恩赐是做成一个模样的,-in serving Christ our identity and our work come together. 当我们服事主耶稣基督的时候,我们的身份和我们的工作就联合起来了。

Like Peter we begin to fill out the name by which the Lord has called us. 就好像彼得一样,我们也开始活出主所给我们的名字,就是祂用这个名字呼召我们,现在我们把这个名字的意义活出来了。As the Lord taught us in the parable of the talents, 就正如主在那个好管家的比喻里面教导我们(马太福音25:14~30节),not all his servants have an equal number of gifts. 不是每一个主的仆人,都有同样那么多的恩赐的。What he requires is the faithful stewardship of what we have received. 主耶稣所要求的是我们所领受的,要忠心地作好管家。Those who have received gifts is greater degree bear greater responsibility. 哪一些领受更多恩赐的,他们的责任就更加地大。

In considering the means of ministry we saw that the Lord grants gifts for the ministry of the word,of order and of mercy.当我们考虑到事工的方法的时候,我们看到主会赐恩赐,为了从事传道的事工、治理的事工和怜悯的事工。Every Christian possesses some gifts in these areas. 每一位基督徒都在这几方面都有一些恩赐的。Every Christian must confess Christ’s name before men (ministry of the word in witness).每一位基督徒都应该在人面前承认基督的名的,这个是传道事工,在见证方面。Every Christian must encourage and admonish his fellow saints from the Bible (,ministry of the word in nurture). 每一位基督徒都要从圣经那里来鼓励、来劝诫他的圣徒弟兄姊妹的。这个就是传讲上帝的话的事工,不过是在造就方面。Every Christian must praise God in terms of scriptural revelation (,ministry of the word in worship). 每一位基督徒都应该用圣经的启示来赞美上帝,这个是传讲上帝的话的事工,不过是在敬拜的层面。

But some Christians are given unusual gifts for understanding God’s word, 但是,有些基督徒有特别不寻常的恩赐明白上帝的话,and proclaiming it with authority. 而且用权柄来宣讲神的话。When a man has such gifts he will be fruitful in evangelism, 当一个人有这种恩赐的时候,他在布道事工会结出果子来,in edifying the church, 在造就教会也结出果子来,and in lifting up the name of God in worship. 当在崇拜的时候,高举神的名字的时候,也会结出好的果子来。

We may therefore distinguish between the general office of every believer and the special office of a man endued with the Spirit for the ministry of the gospel. 这样我们可以分别出,每一位基督徒都有一般性的职分,另外有一个特殊的职分,就是一个人有圣灵特别的恩赐,为了要传讲福音。

When Paul speaks of the gifts of the Spirit. 当保罗说到圣灵的恩赐的时候,he speaks also of the callings or offices that the exercise of such gifts involves. 他也说到一些呼召或者是职分,上帝赐这些应许,赐这些恩赐的时候,也必须要这样地来执行、使用这些恩赐,这些恩赐的使用就是职分,office。Rom. 12:3-8,罗马书12:3~8节;1 Cor. 12:28-30, 哥林多前书第12:28~30节;Eph. 4:11,以弗所书4:11节)

Some gifts of the Spirit require public recognition for their proper exercise. 有些圣灵的恩赐,必须要公开地承认才能够正确地使用。If a man gifted to preach the word with authority is to be effective in that ministry in the midst of the church, 假如一个人有圣灵的恩赐,用权柄来传讲上帝的话,假如他在这个教会里面从事的事工,能够有效地做下去的话,the church must recognize the authority that God’s calling gives him. 教会必须要承认上帝给他呼召的时候,也同时给他的权柄。上帝给恩赐给人传讲上帝的话,有权柄地传,就给他不单单有恩赐,也有呼召,也有权柄。

我们看一些经文:希伯来书13:7-17节:“从前引导你们、传上帝之道给你们的人,你们要想念他们,效法他们的信心,留心看他们为人的结局。“传神的道给你们的人。第17节: ”你们要依从那些引导你们的,且要顺服;因他们为你们的灵魂时刻警醒,好像那将来交账的人。你们要使他们交的时候有快乐,不至忧愁;若忧愁就与你们无益了。“

使徒行传20:28节,保罗对以弗所的长老们所讲的话: ”圣灵立你们作全群的监督,你们就当为自己谨慎,也为全群谨慎,牧养上帝的教会,就是他用自己血所买来的。“提摩太后书4:2节:”务要传道,无论得时不得时总要专心,并用百般的忍耐、各样的教训责备人,警戒人,劝勉人。“所以,我们看到传道事工为一个很明显的例子,有恩赐就有呼召、有呼召就有职分、有职分就有权柄。不过,教会有公开承认这些恩赐和呼召的责任,把他们分别出来,从事这种特殊的职分。

我们下次继续讲完这些传道事工的恩赐、呼召、职分和权柄。

提示:逐字稿文字只限于个人和教会私下学习交流,目的是造就教会和教会负责带领、讲道的同工们;未经同意,请勿擅自在其它网站或平台转载和刊登课程的逐字稿;课程的逐字稿和图片的版权归「中华展望」,禁止复印出版等商业用途。当文字和录音不符时,以录音为准。愿上帝赐福文字编辑和校对的肢体来雅正!若是有修改的地方、奉献支持或是其他任何问题请使用以下邮件方式联系我们。网络圣约ccnci.org中华展望圣约学院[email protected](PayPal)