晨興聖言-按照神對召會的經綸...(W7-4)
第七週■週四
晨興餧養
帖前二4 ～ 5『但神怎樣驗中了我們，把福音託付我們，我們就照樣講，不是要討人喜歡，乃是要討那察驗我們心的神喜歡。因爲我們從來沒有用過諂媚的話，就如你們所知道的；也沒有藉掩飾而貪婪，這是神可以作見證的。』
帖前二章四節的『驗中』含示試驗。神驗中使徒以前，先試驗他們。神根據這驗中，把福音託付他們。神作這事非常謹慎，因爲祂知道我們的心。
按我們的意見，神旣然無所不知，就不需要試驗我們。不錯，在我們出生以前，祂已經知道我們會是那一種人。旣是這樣，神爲甚麼試驗我們？神的試驗主要不是爲着祂自己，乃是爲着我們。神認識我們，但我們不認識自己。因爲我們不彀認識自己，所以我們以爲自己是正直、誠實並忠信的。但我們受試驗的時候，就會看見我們真正的所是，我們會發現，我們自己裏面是不誠實、不忠信、也不可靠的。…神這樣察驗我們之後，我們纔能被驗中。（帖撒羅尼迦前書生命讀經，一一五至一一六頁。）
信息選讀
我勸青年人不要信任自己，因爲他們還沒有受過試驗。我確信神要用青年人，但是神要先試驗他們，然後纔用他們。神試驗我們而驗中我們以後，纔能對我們有所託付。神的託付是根據祂驗中了我們。但我們不能驗中我們自己。惟有在神試驗我們以後，祂纔會驗中我們。然後祂會把一些事託付我們，並開始使用我們。
神乃是這樣把福音託付使徒。因着使徒接受了福音的託付，所以他們的講說不是要討人喜歡，乃是要討那察驗我們心的神喜歡。他們的講說是根據神的託付。神把福音託付了他們，所以他們的講說是要討神的喜歡。…帖前二章四節給我們看見，我們必須被神驗中，然後神就對我們有所託付。此後我們還需要講說，要討那察驗我們心的神喜歡。這指明我們需要經過試驗、驗中和託付，然後就會有可講說、可教導的。
〔在五節〕掩飾原文或作假裝，遮掩。藉掩飾而貪婪，就是混亂或攙混神的話，（林後二17，四2，）也是爲利假裝敬虔。（提前六5，多一11，彼後二3。）
帖前二章五節說，使徒從來沒有用過諂媚的話。我們都必須避免用諂媚的話，絕不以諂媚的態度對人說話。保羅在這一節裏還說，使徒沒有藉掩飾、遮掩而貪婪。他們沒有邪惡的動機，而用辦法去遮掩。他們沒有掩飾或假冒，所以他們不混亂或攙混神的話。攙混就是拿劣貨與原來的東西混在一起。譬如，用銅與金混合，或用水與酒攙調，而將其當作純品販賣。歷世紀以來，許多傳道人和教師就是這樣攙混神的話。他們在掩飾之下傳講，目的是要爲自己得利。
五節教我們要學習不用諂媚的話，也不藉掩飾而貪婪。在我們基督徒的工作中，不可給這類不潔的事物留地步。主的僕人不應當用諂媚的話，也不應當藉某一種掩飾而貪婪。但願主憐憫我們並純淨我們，救我們脫離這一切事。但願我們能說，我們不用諂媚的話，也沒有藉掩飾而貪婪，這是神可以作見證的。（帖撒羅尼迦前書生命讀經，一一六至一一七頁。）
參讀： 倪柝聲文集第二輯第二十四册， 第九十八、一百零四篇。
WEEK 7 — DAY 4
Morning Nourishment
1
Thes. 2:4-5 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted
with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who proves
our hearts. For neither were we found at any time with flattering
speech, even as you know, nor with a pretext for covetousness; God is
witness.
The
word approved in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 implies being tested. God tested
the apostles before He approved them. Based upon this approvedness, God
entrusted them with the gospel. God did this in a careful way, for He
knows our hearts.
According
to our opinion, since God already knows everything, it is not necessary
for Him to test us. Yes, before we were born, He already knew what kind
of person we would be. Why, then, does God test us? God’s testing is
not mainly for Himself; it is primarily for us. God knows us, but we do
not know ourselves. Because we do not know ourselves adequately, we may
think that we are upright, honest, and faithful. However, when we are
put to the test, we will see what we really are and discover that in
ourselves we are not honest, faithful, or trustworthy...Only after God
proves us in this way will we have approvedness. (Life-study of 1
Thessalonians, 2nd edition, p. 96)
Today’s Reading
I would encourage the young people not to have confidence in themselves, for they have not yet been tested. I have the assurance that God will use the young people. But God’s using of them will come after His testing of them. God cannot entrust anything to us until we have the approvedness that comes from His testing. God’s entrusting is based on our approvedness. But we cannot approve ourselves. Only after God has tested us will He grant us approvedness. Then He will entrust something to us and begin to use us.
It
was in this way that God entrusted the apostles with the gospel.
Because the apostles had been entrusted with the gospel, they spoke not
as pleasing men but as pleasing God, who proves our hearts. Their
speaking was based on God’s entrusting. Because He had entrusted them
with the gospel, they spoke as pleasing God. In 1 Thessalonians 2:4 we
see that we must be approved and then have something entrusted to us.
Then we need to speak as pleasing God, the One who proves us. This
indicates that we need to pass through testing, approving, and
entrusting. Then we will have something to preach and teach.
The
Greek word rendered “pretext” [in verse 5] also means “pretense,
cloak.” To have any pretext for covetousness is to peddle or adulterate
the word of God (2 Cor. 2:17; 4:2). It is also to pretend to be godly
for the sake of gain (1 Tim. 6:5;
Titus 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:3).
According
to 1 Thessalonians 2:5, the apostles were never found with flattering
speech. We all must avoid flattery, never speaking in a way to flatter
others. In this verse Paul also says that the apostles did not have a
pretext, a cloak, for covetousness. They did not have an evil motive
that was covered in some way. Because they did not have any pretext or
pretense, they did not peddle the word of God or adulterate it. To
adulterate something is to mix it with an inferior material, for
example, to mix gold with copper or wine with water, and then to sell it
as if it were pure. Throughout the centuries many preachers and
teachers have adulterated the word of God in this way. They preached
under a pretext in order to make gain for themselves.
From
verse 5 we learn to avoid flattery and a pretext for covetousness. In
our Christian work we must give no place to such unclean things. No
servant of the Lord should use flattery or have some kind of pretext for
covetousness. May the Lord have mercy on us and purify us from all
these things. May we be able to say that God is our witness that we do
not speak words of flattery or have any pretext for covetousness.
(Life-study of 1 Thessalonians, second edition, pp. 96-98)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ,” chs. 98, 104
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