Hebrews 6 – Live Out Goodness in the End Time 希伯來書 6 – 在末世活出美好
Wednesday, 5th April 2023
星期三 2023年4月5日
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
潘锡安牧师
It was a dark time when the Book of Hebrews was written, after Jesus resurrected, many people were still confused about what they believed. Furthermore, in the society there were full of wickedness, adultery, idol-worship… the churches were struggling, they didn’t know how the resurrection of Jesus could help their lives at the time, therefore they continued to sin in the world and to do what they wanted to do.
写希伯来书的时候是一个黑暗的时期，在耶稣复活之后，许多人仍然对他们的信仰感到困惑。再加上社会充斥着罪恶、奸淫、拜偶像……教会苦苦挣扎，当时他们不知道耶稣的复活对他们的生活有什么帮助，所以他们继续在世上犯罪，做他们想做的事。
Section One V1-3 To Leave the Elementary 要离开开端
V1-3 “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.”
V1-3 “所以，我们应当离开基督道理的开端，竭力进到完全的地步，不必再立根基，就如那懊悔死行、信靠神、 各样洗礼、按手之礼、死人复活，以及永远审判各等教训。 神若许我们，我们必如此行。”
What is the elementary principles of Christ? Isn’t it ‘the Kingdom is near, we must repent’? In the original text, the word ‘leave’ also means to ‘let go’. As Christians, we are so easy to think that as long as we repent immediately, then we can continue to sin. Then our lives become a cycle of sinning and repenting, and in our mind, we only think about how to not sin, instead of focusing on what God wants us to do. When God created the Garden of Eden in the very beginning, He never chased around Adam and Eve to see if they have done something wrong, God created Adam and Even to manage the world and to have a relationship with Him.
基督的基本原则是什么？不是“天国近了，我们必须悔改”吗？在原文中，“离开”还有“放下”的意思。作为基督徒，我们很容易认为只要我们立即悔改，我们就可以继续犯罪。然后我们的生活就变成了犯罪和悔改的循环，在我们的思想中，我们只想着如何不犯罪，而不是专注于神要我们做什么。起初神创造伊甸园的时候，从来没有围着亚当夏娃追，看他们有没有做错什么，神创造亚当和夏娃是为了管理世界，为了与他们建立关系。
What is happening with the Christians nowadays is that a lot of times, we are focusing too much on what people have done wrong, we try to find faults in one another, we thought we are helping them to be better, but somehow we have forgotten the more important thing as Christians, that is to strive to go on to perfection. Jesus walked with God when He was on this earth, He lived out the best testimony for us during His 3-year Ministry. Can we also learn from Jesus, to stive to enter perfection? It’s not about finding faults but to bear fruits for God. When we don’t experience God and when we don’t bear fruits, then how can we really know what is God’s Will for us?
现在的基督徒容易犯的错误是，很多时候，我们过分关注人们做错了什么，我们试图互相找做错的事，我们以为我们正在帮助他们变得更好，但不知何故我们忘记了作为基督徒，更重要的是努力追求完美。耶稣在世时与神同行，在他三年的事奉中为我们活出最好的见证。我们是否也能效法耶稣，努力进入完全呢？这不是要找缺点，而是要为神结果子。当我们不经历神，不结果子时，我们怎么能真正知道神对我们的旨意是什么？
It’s time to leave the elementary level, don’t wait until we feel we are ready, because we can never be ready. Let us leave and let go of what we hold onto, do not think that we are not ready, do not think that we are not enough, do not think that we cannot… these are all excuses for us to stop going forward. The authority of Heaven and earth has been given to Jesus, who will give it to those following Him. We must trust in God, be willing to step out, when we start going out to preach the Gospel, to disciple the nations, to heal and to cast out demon, then we can see the authority Heaven and earth has already been given to us.
是时候离开开端的阶段了，不要等到我们觉得自己准备好了，因为我们永远无法准备好。让我们离开，放下我们执着的，不要觉得自己没有准备好，不要觉得自己不够，不要觉得自己做不到……这些都是我们停止前进的借口。天上地下的权柄已经赐给了耶稣，祂要赐给跟随祂的人。我们要信靠神，愿意走出去，当我们开始出去传福音、门训万民、医病赶鬼的时候，就看见天地的权柄已经赐给我们了。
Section Two V4-12 To Be Used By God 要成为合乎主用
V4-8 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
V4-8 “论到那些已经蒙了光照，尝过天恩的滋味，又于圣灵有份， 并尝过神善道的滋味，觉悟来世权能的人， 若是离弃道理，就不能叫他们重新懊悔了。因为他们把神的儿子重钉十字架，明明地羞辱他。 就如一块田地，吃过屡次下的雨水，生长菜蔬，合乎耕种的人用，就从神得福； 若长荆棘和蒺藜，必被废弃，近于咒诅，结局就是焚烧。”
We know Jesus, we have received the Holy Spirit, and we have experienced the goodness of God, then we must be alert! God has already given all the good things to us for us to stop focusing on this world, but if we continue to stay in the world, if we still don’t walk in the Way of God, then we cannot be renewed again to repentance, because when we continued to follow this world after we have experienced God, then we are like putting Jesus to an open shame, and the end is to be burned. God wants us to stay in the high places, to be the light of the world, to inheritance His eternal blessings. But what do we choose? The way of the world which is away from the Truth? Or the Way of God? Stop being lied to, we believe in Jesus does not mean we will definitely go to Heaven, God has given us the authority not to win this world, but for us to disciple the nations. Are we preparing ourselves to be used by God?
我们认识耶稣，我们已经领受了圣灵，我们也经历了神的良善，那我们就要警醒了！神已经把所有美好的东西都给了我们，让我们不再关注这个世界，但如果我们继续留在世界上，如果我们仍然不走在神的道路上，那么我们就无法重新懊悔了，因为当我们经历了神之后继续跟随这个世界，那么我们就像是明目张胆地羞辱耶稣，结局就是焚烧。神要我们居于高处，成为世上的光，继承祂永远的祝福。但是我们选择什么呢？远离真理的世界之道？还是神道？不要被骗了，我们相信耶稣并不意味着我们一定会去天堂，神给了我们权柄，不是为了赢得这个世界，而是为了让我们门训万民。我们准备好自己被神使用了吗？
V9-12 “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
V9-12 “亲爱的弟兄们，我们虽是这样说，却深信你们的行为强过这些，而且近乎得救。 因为神并非不公义，竟忘记你们所做的工和你们为他名所显的爱心，就是：先前伺候圣徒，如今还是伺候。我们愿你们各人都显出这样的殷勤，使你们有满足的指望，一直到底； 并且不懈怠，总要效法那些凭信心和忍耐承受应许的人。”
What is to be saved? We thought being saved is to go onto a train that goes to Heaven. But when we get onto the train, it doesn’t mean that we will not get off the train. We need to strive to stay on this train of salvation, and the Holy Spirit comes to ensure we stay on this train. When we get on the train, we may be tired, we may fall asleep, and we may get off at the wrong station. Jesus’ salvation is once and for all, but it doesn’t mean that we can continue to sin. We must watch our lives, Holy Spirit comes to help us stay alert so we can arrive the station of Heaven. We must prepare ourselves to be used by God, do not be the lukewarm water, which is to be spited out.
拯救代表什么？我们以为得救就是坐上去天堂的直达火车。但是我们上了火车，并不代表我们不会下车。我们需要努力留在救恩的这列火车上，圣灵来确保我们留在这列火车上。上了火车，我们可能累了，可能睡着了，也可能下错站了。耶稣的救恩是永远的，但这并不意味着我们可以继续犯罪。我们必须注意我们的生活，圣灵会来帮助我们保持警醒，这样我们才能到达天堂总站。我们要预备自己被神使用，不要做不冷不热的温水，最后要被吐出去。
Section Three V13-20 要持定相信神的应许
V13-20 “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
V13-20 “当初神应许亚伯拉罕的时候，因为没有比自己更大可以指着起誓的，就指着自己起誓，说： “论福，我必赐大福给你；论子孙，我必叫你的子孙多起来。” 这样，亚伯拉罕既恒久忍耐，就得了所应许的。人都是指着比自己大的起誓，并且以起誓为实据，了结各样的争论。 照样，神愿意为那承受应许的人格外显明他的旨意是不更改的，就起誓为证。 借这两件不更改的事——神决不能说谎——好叫我们这逃往避难所、持定摆在我们前头指望的人可以大得勉励。 我们有这指望，如同灵魂的锚，又坚固又牢靠，且通入幔内； 做先锋的耶稣既照着麦基洗德的等次成了永远的大祭司，就为我们进入幔内。”
Do we believe the promise God gave to Abraham is also giving to us? God wants us to receive the great blessings, but we don’t believe because we are using our own ways to get the blessings. Our church’s teaching is to put God first, then the people, and then the land. But we have our priority wrong, we think that we are too busy with the things in our hands, we focus on being successful in this world, and we put our time with God as our last priority. God is the God of opportunity, we want to hold onto the opportunity in front of us, and we don’t see God’s promises for us are way better! We have this authority and opportunity to enter the Presence of God behind the veil, but if we choose the world before God, then we can never receive it.
我们相信神给亚伯拉罕的应许也给了我们吗？神要我们得着大福，我们却不信，因为我们用自己的方式得着福。我们教会的教导是把神放在首位，然后是人，然后是土地。但是我们弄错了我们的优先次序，我们认为我们太忙于手中的事情，我们专注于在这个世界上取得成功，我们把与神在一起的时间作为我们的最后待办事项。神是机会之神，我们不要只是想把握住眼前的机会，却不见神对我们的应许更好！我们有这个权柄和机会进入幔子后面神的同在，但如果我们选择世界而不是神，那么我们就永远无法得到它。
God is giving us great blessings, He can make everything works for the good of us, He can open the way for us, so what is our choice? This easy way of this world, or the Way of God? We can live out God’s Goodness today, when we make the choice to follow God, to leave the elementary, to be used by God, and to hold onto God’s Promises for us.
神给我们很大的祝福，祂可以让万事都为我们效力，祂可以为我们开路，那么我们的选择是什么？这个世界的方式，还是神的方式？今天我们可以活出神的良善，当我们选择跟随神，离开开端的阶段，愿意被神使用，并抓住神对我们的应许时。