彼此和睦相愛得而享受生命1 Peter 3:8-12
LIVE AT PEACE
WITH OTHERS, to LOVE AND ENJOY LIFE
When
you think of peace, what images come to mind? Peace is often seen as
a place where there is no conflict or strife. Where there is peace,
there is...· unity · tranquility
· reconciliation · order · love · contentment
But
note: peace does not mean that life is problem-free. There once was
an artist who painted a picture of a great and dark storm. The
clouds were foreboding as lightening cracked in the sky. The trees were
bending to the point of nearly breaking. Debris was flying through
the air in a chaotic pattern of jagged dips and turns. When a person
looked at the picture, right in the middle of the storm his eyes were led to a
crevice in a large rock. In this crevice lay a tiny sparrow, fast
asleep—in perfect peace. This tiny creature was at peace with itself
and with everything around it. How can we be at peace with those who
often bring storms of controversy into our lives?
This
is a great passage for believers. It deals with peace. We are to live at peace
with other Christian believers. When the world looks at believers, they are to
see a most unusual unity, a spirit of oneness that is not found anyplace else
on earth. They are to see believers who are so unified and so closely knit
together that they are as brothers and sisters—brothers and sisters who stand
together, who love and support each through all the trials and temptations of
life. The world is not to see believers...
|
· arguing · bickering · biting · brawling · grumbling |
· griping · enticing · complaining · in division |
The world is to see believers
unified, standing together through thick and thin regardless of circumstances.
How can believers live in unity? How can people with such diverse personalities
and backgrounds be closer than earthly brothers and sisters?
1. 彼此同心BE OF ONE MIND (v. 8).
The
words "one mind" mean to be like-minded; to be of the same mind.
Believers must keep their minds on the same things. They must focus their minds
upon Jesus Christ and His mission.
1. Believers must keep their minds upon becoming just
like Jesus, upon being conformed to the image of Christ. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29).
2. Believers must keep their minds upon living holy,
righteous, and pure lives.
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God" (Romans 12:1-2).
3. Believers must keep their minds upon developing
spiritual character and fruit.
"But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" Gal 5:22-23
4. Believers must keep their minds upon carrying out
the ministry and mission of Christ. "Even
as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give
his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
The great challenge for the
believer is to subject his mind to the mind of Christ. It is both
unhealthy and unnatural for a body to have more than one mind. If
everyone is thinking alike—focused upon Jesus Christ and His mission—everyone
grows.
"The
article 'What Good is a Tree?' in Reader's Digest explained that when the roots
of trees touch, there is a substance that reduces competition. In
fact, this unknown fungus helps link roots of different trees—even of
dissimilar species. A whole forest may be linked
together. If one tree has access to water, another to nutrients, and
a third to sunlight, the trees have the means to share with one another. "Like
trees in a forest, Christians in the church need and support one another." Having
one mind, the mind of Christ, is the only way to peace and unity. It
is the only way you can grow into a strong Christian believer.
2. 有體恤HAVE COMPASSION (v. 8).
The
word compassion means sympathy; to actually feel with others. It means to feel
for others so much that...
· you suffer with those who suffer. · you weep with those who weep.
· you rejoice when others are honored.
· you understand the pressure that a leader is under when he
has to lead.
· you hurt with those who are criticized and attacked.
· you grieve with the sorrows of others.
Unity
cannot exist unless believers feel compassion and sympathy for one another.
Believers cannot be selfish and aloof; they cannot be seeking attention and
seeking to get their own way if they are to be unified. Unity demands sympathy;
unity demands that believers feel for one another—that they feel deeply, so
deeply that they actually experience what other believers experience: pain,
hurt, abuse, suffering, joy, and rejoicing. "Bear ye one another's
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
3. 相愛如兄弟HAVE BROTHERLY LOVE (v. 8).
"Brotherly
love" has already been discussed by Peter 1 Peter 1:22-25.
There
is no greater force than love. If two people truly love each other, they will
do anything for the other. There is no greater bond on earth than true love.
This is especially true of the love between believers. Why? Is there a
difference between the love believers have for one another and the love
neighbors have for one another? Scripture says yes, emphatically yes. Believers
are to have a different kind of love than neighbors have for one another. The
love that believers are to have for one another is what the Greek calls
· that binds believers in an unbreakable union.
· that holds other believers ever so deeply within the heart.
· that knows deep affection for other believers.
· that nourishes and nurtures other believers.
· that shows concern and looks after the welfare of other
believers.
The
importance of believers loving one another with a
4. 有憐憫HAVE PITY (v. 8).
The
word "pity" means to be tenderhearted; to be sensitive and
affectionate toward the needs of others; to be moved with tender feelings over
the pain and sufferings of others. We live in a world that desperately needs
pity, a world of extreme suffering. So many suffer and continue to suffer
without ever having their needs met. The means and resources to meet their
needs exist, but so many within the world have become hardened to the
sufferings of others. They bank, hoard, and build up asset after asset instead
of sacrificing and reaching out to meet the needs of the world. But this is not
to be true of the believer. Believers are to have pity upon the sufferings of
others. Believers are to feel pity to the point that they are moved to act,
moved to sacrifice and reach out to meet the needs of the suffering.
Again,
note how pity leaves no room for selfishness. Pity demands that a person deny
himself and help others in their desperate needs and sufferings. Note also how
pity draws people together. Helping and ministering to one another binds and
knits people together. A great bond is created between the believer and those
to whom he ministers. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the
Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to
keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).
5. 要謙卑BE COURTEOUS (v. 8).
The
word "courteous" means to be humble-minded; to offer oneself as lowly
and submissive; to walk in a spirit of lowliness; not to be high-minded, proud,
haughty, arrogant, or assertive.
Note:
a humble person may have a high position, power, wealth, fame, and much more;
but he carries himself in a spirit of lowliness and submission. He denies
himself for the sake of Christ and in order to help others.
Men
have always looked upon humility as a vice. A lowly man is often looked upon as
a coward, a cringing, despicable, slavish type of person. Men fear humility.
They feel humility is a sign of weakness and will make them the object of
contempt and abuse and cause them to be shunned and overlooked.
Because
of all this, men ignore and shun the teaching of Christ on humility. This is
tragic: Þ for a humble spirit is necessary for
salvation (Matthew 18:3-4).
Þ for
God's idea of humility is not weakness and cowardice.
God
makes people strong, the strongest they can possibly be. By humility God does
not mean what men mean. God infuses a new and strong spirit within a person and
causes that person to conquer all throughout life. He just does not want the
person walking around in pride. He wants the person to do what the definition
says: to offer himself in a spirit of submissiveness and lowliness; not
to act high-minded, proud, haughty, arrogant, or assertive.
Humility
is to be developed. Scripture tells us how: "Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your
souls" (Matthew 11:29).
6. 不以惡報惡、要祝福那些惡待你的DO NOT RETALIATE, BUT BLESS THOSE WHO DO
EVIL AGAINST YOU (v. 9).
This
point refers to both believers and unbelievers. As tragic as it is, some
believers do evil and rail against other believers. Nevertheless, no matter the
source of the evil and railing, true believers are not to retaliate. What are
they to do when someone does evil against them?
1. The believer is not to react; he is not to return
evil for evil to anyone. In the world and
in the course of behavior between men, everyone is mistreated and reacted
against at one time or another. Therefore, the believer suffers evil and
mistreatment just as everyone else does—just in the course of behavior as a
man. However, the genuine believer suffers additional evil: he suffers evil and
mistreatment because he is a follower of Jesus Christ. As a follower of
Christ...
· the believer is living a life of righteousness and purity,
honesty and truthfulness, and such behavior is often opposed by the world.
Therefore, the worldly person often opposes and abuses the believer.
· the believer is bearing testimony to the corruption of the
world and to God's salvation; to man's need to escape the corruption by turning
to Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Again, the worldly person often opposes
the message of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.
The
point is this: the believer is not to react against a person who mistreats and
does evil against him. There are at least two reasons why he is not to react.
a. Reaction will most likely
lose the friendship of the person and lose all hope of ever reaching the person
for Jesus Christ. The evil doer will be
able to say, "A Christian did that to me." The believer will have
made Christ an unappealing Savior. On the other hand, if the believer
returns good for evil, he opens the door for eventual friendship and bears
testimony to the love of God for all men, even for those who do evil.
b. Reaction is not the way of
God or of Christ. "Thou shalt not
avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:18).
2. The believer is to bless those who do evil against
him. The word "bless" means to
speak well of.
a. It means to speak well to
our persecutors. We do not react
against them by cursing, speaking harshly, or striking out at them. We do not
try to hurt them either verbally or physically. On the contrary, we seek to
find something that is commendable about them and we commend them for it.
b. It means to speak well
about our persecutors. When speaking
to others, we do not down the persecutor, but we mention some commendable
trait. We praise some good thing about the person; we do not tear him
down.
c. It means to pray for our
persecutors. We must do as Jesus said
and did.
Think of the impact upon
persecutors when an attitude of love and blessing is demonstrated toward them.
Every persecutor would not be won to Christ, but every persecutor would have a
strong witness that could be used by the Holy Spirit in the persecutor's quiet,
thoughtful moments; and some persecutors would be won to Christ. This is what
God is after. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life" (John 3:16).
d. It means to do good to our
persecutors. "But I say unto you
which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you" (Luke 6:27).
3. The believer who blesses those who do evil against
him will be greatly rewarded. Note: the
believer is actually called to receive a blessing. The Amplified New Testament
states it well: "For know that to this you have been called, that you
may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God]—obtain a blessing as heirs,
bringing welfare and happiness and protection" (1 Peter 3:9).
The
idea is that believers shall inherit eternal life. If they forgive others, God
will forgive them. God will forgive them and give them the inheritance of
heaven, of eternal life itself. Have you ever heard the phrase, "If
life hands you a lemon, make lemonade"? This is easier said
than done. When people are going through difficult trials, the
meaning of life becomes tainted through eyes that tend to see...
· a desire
for less responsibilities · a return to the good
old days · a yearning for a life with no stress · nothing but trouble · the need
to fix the problem · less of godly things and more of worldly
things
When
hard times come, the need to love and enjoy life takes on an even greater
importance for the Christian believer. Instead of just enduring
life, God fully intends for His children to enjoy life—a life that He has
promised to make abundant (John 10:10). But
how is this goal realized?
We live in a world that is
full of sickness and desperate needs. Many are hungry, homeless,
dressed in rags, diseased, and physically and emotionally ill. And
to top it off, millions are lonely, empty, and unfulfilled. They feel they have
no significant purpose in life. They do not love or enjoy life: life
is more routine and drudgery than enjoyment. This is the subject of
this great passage: how to love and enjoy life. 愛與滿足生命的四個步驟There are four steps to loving and enjoying
life.
第一禁止你的舌頭STEP 1: STOP YOUR TONGUE
(v. 10).
If
you wish to love and enjoy life, the very first thing you must do is stop your
tongue. Few tongues are disciplined and controlled. By far most tongues run,
wag, and blaze ever so loosely. The tongue is easily stirred to run loose. It
is easily ignited and just as easily set ablaze. The tongues of so many people
are ready...
|
· to react · to attack · to defend · to mock |
· to poison
· to cut · to hurt · to scold |
A
tongue that runs loose and is not controlled and disciplined knows little love
and little enjoyment of life. What can be done? How can a person control and
discipline his tongue? By doing two things:
1. A person must stop his tongue from speaking evil. Note: the honest and thinking person knows that no
person can control and discipline his tongue perfectly. But Scripture is clear:
God does not excuse us, and He expects us to stop our tongue from speaking
evil. What we must remember—every couple and every believer—is that there is a
vast difference between the occasional offender and the constant
offender. An evil tongue is a tongue that constantly...
|
· cuts in and takes the floor · reacts · refuses instructions · curses · backbites |
· argues · defends oneself · retaliates · gossips · criticizes |
The
list could go on and on until every act of behavior is covered. It is very
difficult to live with a constant offender of the tongue. A person whose tongue
constantly does evil is destroying his or her life. And we must always remember
that an evil tongue is a tongue that is constantly doing evil, evil that ranges
all the way from interrupting and disrupting others over to cursing and
blaspheming the name of God. An evil tongue shows disrespect for others
regardless of what a person claims. It shows disrespect and displeasure.
Note
what the antidote is: "Let him refrain his tongue from evil." This is
an imperative, a command. The believer is personally responsible. He is to stop
his tongue—hush, be quiet, quit allowing his tongue to do evil.
2. A person is to keep his lips from speaking guile. The word "guile" means deceit. A deceitful
tongue is...· a false tongue · a cheating tongue · a
treacherous tongue · a deceptive tongue · a lying tongue · a
mistreating tongue · a beguiling tongue · a flattering tongue
We
deceive and smooth talk others in order to get what we are after or to protect
ourselves. But note what Scripture says: the very first step to loving and
enjoying life is to keep our tongues from deceiving and beguiling others.
Deception leads to sin and sin destroys. Just think about the deceptive tongues
that have...· destroyed marriages · damaged friendships · caused
wars · caused injuries · prevented promotions · disturbed
children · ruined reputations · aroused fights · maimed
bodies
If
we wish to love and enjoy life, we must stop our tongues from doing evil and
from deceiving others. We must control and discipline our tongues.
This
is the duty of the believer. It is not something God is going to do for
the believer. Of course, God will help us and give us strength. But our
tongues are controlled by us; they are under our power. We either do good or
evil with our tongues. "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:
so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and
setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell" (James 3:6).
第二要離惡行善STEP
2: TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD (v. 11).
1. First, a person is to eschew evil. By eschew is meant to avoid and shun evil; to
turn aside and away from evil. What evil is being talked about? Scripture
clearly tells us what to turn away from and flee, what to stop doing.
Þ We must flee fornication. Þ We must
flee idolatry.
Þ We are to flee foolish and hurtful lusts and the love of
money.
Þ We are to flee youthful lusts. Þ We are
to turn away from all forms of evil.
Þ We are to stop and turn our tongue and lips away from evil.
The
charge is direct and forceful: we are to stop doing evil. The idea is that we
are to stop dead in our tracks, snatch our hands back, snap our eyes away, shut
our ears from the evil. We are to turn away and flee evil lest it consume and
destroy us.
Note
a crucial fact: evil is being pictured as a deliberate choice. We choose to do
evil. The command of God is to turn away and flee evil. Turning away and
fleeing is also a deliberate choice. Turning away and fleeing evil is up to us.
We are the ones who have to repent; we are the ones who have to turn away from
wrongdoing and turn to God. This is the second step to loving and enjoying
life.
2. Second, a person must do good. Note: it is not enough to turn away from evil. When a
person turns away from evil, he is like a vacuum. All the things that had been
filling his life are set aside and his life is left with empty spaces. Whereas
he had been spending time in the pleasures of the world, he now has blocks of
time that must be filled. What is it that is to fill these blocks of time? What
is it that is to fill the life of the person who turns away from evil and turns
to God? Good works. A person who truly turns to God is a person who gives all
he is and has to God. He commits his life... · to live
a holy and righteous life.
· to make Christ known throughout his community and all over
the world.
· to minister and meet the needs of the desperate in the
world.
第三尋一心追求和睦 STEP
3: SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT (v. 11).
The
word "pursue" means to run after, chase, press for, and pursue. It
has the idea of swiftness and endurance—of hotly pursuing and going after
peace. We live in a world that is full of corrupt and evil people who could
care less about peace and holiness just so they get what they are after. However,
the believer must not give up, for peace is the very reason he is on earth.
The
believer is to follow after or strive for peace with all men. The fact that he
has to strive for peace means that peace is not always possible.
Þ Some persons within the church
are troublemakers: grumblers, complainers, gossipers, criticizers; some
are self-centered leaders full of pride; some people within the church are just
selfish and self-centered, caring more about pushing themselves forward and
getting their own way than about peace. Self is put before Christ and the
church and its mission.
Þ Some persons within the world
are troublemakers and they cause great trouble for the believer. They oppose the believer: ridicule, mock, poke fun
at, curse, abuse, persecute, ignore, and isolate him.
Þ Some persons within the world are
troublemakers for the world at large: dissenters, dividers, fighters,
egotists, power-builders, and warmongers. Some people have no interest in peace
whatever unless they can have their own way.
The
point is this: the believer is to strive for peace
with all men—no matter who they are. The very purpose for the
believer being on earth is to bring peace between men and God and between men
and all other men. Therefore, the believer is to do all he can to live at peace
with everyone and to lead others to live in peace.
The
believer is to live at peace with all men. The believer is to work for as much
peace as possible. Some level of harmony and concord can be achieved at least
some of the time. The believer is never to give up, not as long as there is
hope for some degree of peace. He is to achieve as much peace as possible.
However remember, peace is not always possible—not with everyone.
There are times in the life of the believer when
certain things happen that actually break the peace we have with
others. Look at one man's story.
Jim grew up in a home
where his father controlled him. In a variety of ways, Jim's father
kept him under his thumb. His father figured that if he kept the
purse strings on him then the apron strings would be strengthened too. After
Jim became an adult and began his own family, his father was still trying to
control him. Seeing how his father was dragging his own family down,
Jim finally took the action he had been avoiding for years. He
changed the rules of engagement. From now on, Jim would cut the
financial ties to his father. Jim decided that either he would make
it on his own or not make it at all. It was no surprise to Jim that his father
hit the roof. With anger that would be kept for a vile enemy, Jim's
father cursed him and cut him out of his life. "I don't have a
son any more. If you write me, I'll throw your letter
away. If you call me, I'll cuss you out and hang up. If
you come to visit, I'll slam the door in your face!" And with
that barrage, the peace between Jim and his father blew up into a million
jagged pieces. Several years went by and true to the father's promise, there
was no relationship with his son, Jim. But during this time, Jim
continued to pray for his father. One day Jim drove his car across
the state to visit his father. As Jim knocked on his father's door,
he was looking over his shoulder for a quick way of escape. The door
swung open and his father slowly reached out his hand...and then he took a step
toward Jim...then he suddenly embraced Jim. "Jim, please come
in. We just have to work this thing out between us."
Peace-making or peace-keeping? There is a
world of difference. Our charge is to attempt to make
peace...not to keep it. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9).
第四要謹記生命的根源、神 衪自己 STEP
4: REMEMBER THE SOURCE OF LIFE, THE LORD HIMSELF (v. 12).
No
person has life apart from God, and God sees exactly who it is that is to
receive life.
1. God sees the righteous, the very person who has been
described in the first three points of the outline. Þ God sees
the person who controls his tongue, who does not speak evil nor deceive people.
Þ God sees the person who turns away and flees from evil.
Þ God sees the person who seeks peace and pursues it.
This
is the righteous person, the person to whom God gives life and good days. Note
also that it is the righteous person whose prayers are answered. God's ears are
open to their prayers. The idea is that He hears their cries in times of need
and He meets their need. God cares for and looks after the righteous day by
day, never letting them suffer more than they can bear. This is a most
wonderful thing: it means that the inner cry for life is met. God gives life,
both abundant and eternal life, to the righteous; and He looks after them by
answering their prayers while they journey throughout life. "If ye
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall
be done unto you" (John 15:7).
2. God sees those who do evil. Who are the evil? Being very specific, they are those
who do not do what is covered in the first three points.
Þ The evil are people who do not control their tongues, who
speak evil and deceive others with enticing and smooth talking words.
Þ The evil are people who do not turn away from evil, who do
not turn away from fornication (immorality), idolatry, foolish and hurtful
lusts, the love of money, youthful lusts, and all forms of evil.
Þ The evil are people who do not seek and pursue peace, who
are divisive, who grumble, complain, criticize, backbite, plot, fight, and war.
Note
that the very face of God stands against those who do evil. The picture is that
God not only sees the evil person, God stands face to face against
him, to judge him. "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew
you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt 7:23).
In
the final analysis, you are able to love and enjoy life because Jesus has given
it to you as a believer. This story from the pages of American
history frame this point for us. "Once when Calvin Coolidge was Vice
President and presiding over the Senate, an altercation arose between two
Senators. Tempers flared, and one Senator told the other to go
straight to hell. The offended Senator stormed from his seat,
marched down the aisle and stood before Mr. Coolidge, who was silently leafing
through a book. "'Mr. President,' he said, 'did you hear what he said to
me?' "Coolidge looked up from his book and said calmly, 'You know, I have
been looking through the rule book. You don't have to go."
Remember,
God is the source of eternal life, not other men. It is up to you to choose
which path to take.