美國許多教會如今正陷入困境。從神學上來說，他們的神學是冷漠的，混亂的，甚至是錯誤到一個危險的境地。從崇拜儀式來說，他們被膚淺的時尚流行所俘虜。從道德上來說，他們多半有許多的會眾、財富和活動，但是他們是真正的教會，還是他們已經敗壞到只不過是特別的俱樂部而已呢？Many American
churches are in a mess. Theologically they are indifferent, confused, or
dangerously wrong. Liturgically they are the captives of superficial fads.
Morally they live lives indistinguishable from the world. They often have a lot
of people, money, and activities. But are they really churches, or have they
degenerated into peculiar clubs?
到底是哪裡出了差錯？這個困境的核心是一個簡單的現象：這些教會似乎對上帝的聖道失去了熱情，也失去了信心。他們仍然會攜帶聖經，並宣稱聖經的權威。他們的講道也是根據聖經經文，也仍舊有許多研經課程。但是在他們的崇拜服事中，實際上並沒有閱讀很多的經文。他們的講道和查經，通常不是在查考聖經所認為的、對上帝的百姓來說是重要的內容。他們逐漸地把聖經經文當作是一些頗具啟發性的詩歌小品，或是大眾心理學，以及自我幫助的建議。那些忽略聖經或濫用聖經的會眾，他們正身處一個最嚴重的危機當中。離開上帝聖言的教會，很快就會發現上帝已經離他們遠去。What has gone
wrong? At the heart of the mess is a simple phenomenon: the churches seem to
have lost a love for and confidence in the Word of God. They still carry Bibles
and declare the authority of the Scriptures. They still have sermons based on
Bible verses and still have Bible study classes. But not much of the Bible is
actually read in their services. Their sermons and studies usually do not
examine the Bible to see what it thinks is important for the people of God.
Increasingly they treat the Bible as tidbits of poetic inspiration, of pop
psychology, and of self-help advice. Congregations where the Bible is ignored
or abused are in the gravest peril. Churches that depart from the Word will
soon find that God has departed from them.
對這個可悲的景況，聖經教導要如何解決呢？簡短卻深刻的答案是保羅在歌羅西書三章16節所說的：「當用各樣的智慧，把基督的道理豐豐富富的存在心裡，用詩章、頌詞、靈歌，彼此教導，互相勸戒，心被恩感，歌頌上帝。」我們需要把上帝的聖言存在我們心裡，好叫我們認識上帝所認為的、對我們來說最重要的真理，並且認識祂的計劃、祂的優先順序。我們應該少關心那些「感覺上的需要」，而是要多關心聖經所教導的，失喪的罪人真正的需要。What solution does
the Bible teach for this sad situation? The short but profound answer is given
by Paul in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” We need the Word
to dwell in us richly so that we will know the truths that God thinks are most
important and so that we will know His purposes and priorities. We need to be
concerned less about “felt-needs” and more about the real needs of lost sinners
as taught in the Bible.
保羅在此處不僅召喚我們要把上帝的聖道豐豐富富地存在心裡，也說明這種豐富的經驗是什麼樣子。他用三點來說明（畢竟，保羅是個佈道家）：Paul not only calls
us here to have the Word dwell in us richly, but shows us what that rich
experience of the Word looks like. He shows us that in three points. (Paul was
a preacher, after all.)
首先，他召喚我們要用上帝的話「彼此教導，互相勸誡 」，好叫我們越來越有智慧。保羅是在提醒我們，我們必須要教導上帝的聖道，並且當它豐豐富富地住在我們心裡時，就可以將它應用在我們的生活中。無論是在講道、查經、閱讀或對話中，要鼓勵並促進這樣的教導。我們必須在聖道上不斷長進。First, he calls us
to be educated by the Word, which will lead us on to ever-richer wisdom by “teaching and admonishing one another.” Paul is
reminding us that the Word must be taught and applied to us as a part of it
dwelling richly in us. The church must encourage and facilitate such teaching
whether in preaching, Bible studies, reading, or conversations. We must be
growing in the Word.
不過，我們從聖道中不只是為了蒐集資料而已，而是要在不斷認識上帝對我們的旨意上成長：「因此，我們自從聽見的日子，也就為你們不住的禱告祈求，願你們在一切屬靈的智慧悟性上，滿心知道上帝的旨意；」（西一9）認識上帝的旨意可以讓我們有智慧，而藉著這樣的智慧，我們可以在造物主的形象中得到更新，也就是原先被罪所破壞的形象：「穿上了新人，這新人在知識上漸漸更新，正如造他主的形象。」（三10）It is not just information, however, that we
are to be gathering from the Word. We must be growing in a knowledge of the
will of God for us: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray
for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all
spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9). Knowing the will of God will
make us wise and in that wisdom we will be renewed in the image of our Creator,
an image so damaged by sin: “Put on the new self, which is being renewed in
knowledge after the image of its creator” (3:10).
這種智慧也會重新安排我們人生的優先順序和目的，從關心世上的事轉到關心天上的事：「這都是由於那給你們存在天上的盼望，這盼望是你們從前在福音真理的道上聽過的。」（一5；新譯本）當上帝的聖道豐豐富富地存在我們心裡，我們就有把握，滿心知道上帝的旨意：「我照上帝為你們所賜我的職分作了教會的執事，要把上帝的道理傳得全備」（一25）。我們可以從聖經認識到關於我們的救恩和敬虔的一切知識。This wisdom will
also reorder our priorities and purposes, from that which is worldly to that
which is heavenly: “The hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard
before in the word of truth, the gospel” (1:5). When that Word dwells in us
richly we can be confident that we know the full will of God: “I became a minister
according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the
word of God fully known” (1:25). From the Bible we know all that we need for
salvation and godliness.
其次，保羅召喚我們要在我們的「歌唱」中，不斷更新我們的心。有趣的是，保羅把歌唱，和讓聖道豐豐富富地住在我們心裡聯繫在一起。他提醒我們，歌唱是把上帝的道理深深放在我們心思意念中具有無上價值的途徑。我認識的一些年長的基督徒，有很嚴重的老人癡呆症（Alzheimer’s disease），但是仍然會唱許多讚美上帝的詩歌。唱詩幫助我們把真理和我們的感情聯繫在一起。它幫助我們得到激勵，並給我們信心的確據：「要叫他們的心得安慰，因愛心互相聯絡，以致豐豐足足在悟性中有充足的信心，使他們真知上帝的奧秘，就是基督；所積蓄的一切智慧知識，都在祂裡面藏著。」（二2-3）Second, Paul calls us to expressing the Word
from ever-renewed hearts in our “singing.” Interestingly, Paul connects the Word dwelling
in us richly with singing. He reminds us that singing is an invaluable means of
placing the truth of God deep in our minds and hearts. I have known of elderly
Christians far gone with Alzheimer’s disease who can still sing songs of praise
to God. Singing also helps connect truth to our emotions. It helps us
experience the encouragement and assurance of our faith: “That their hearts may
be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full
assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:2–3).
當然，唱詩的重要性會顯出我們所唱的內容有多麼重要。如果我們唱的是膚淺的、不斷重覆的詩歌，我們所存放的上帝的聖道就不會太多。但是倘若我們唱的是上帝的完整而豐富的話語本身，我們的確會讓自己變得很富有。我們必須牢記，上帝已經給我們一本詩歌集，也就是詩篇，幫助我們唱歌。The importance of
singing, of course, makes the content of our songs vital. If we sing shallow,
repetitive songs, we will not be hiding much of the Word in our hearts. But if
we sing the Word itself in its fullness and richness, we will be making
ourselves rich indeed. We need to remember that God has given us a book of
songs, the Psalter, to help us in our singing.
第三，保羅召喚我們要記得上帝聖道的作用是使我們成為隨時「感恩」的人。在歌羅西書三章15-17節裡，保羅三次召喚我們要感謝。當「基督的道理」豐豐富富住在我們心裡時，我們就會受到引導，過一個感恩的生活。當我們學習並默想上帝在創造、護理和救贖中為我們所作的一切時，我們心中就會充滿感恩。當我們回想到祂赦罪、更新、保守、得榮耀的應許時，我們也會成為活出真正感恩生活的人。Third, Paul calls
us to remember the effect of the Word to make us a people with ever-ready
“thanksgiving.” Three times in Colossians 3:15–17Paul calls us to thankfulness.
When the “word of Christ” dwells in us richly, we will be led on to lives of
gratitude. As we learn and contemplate all that God has done for us in
creation, providence, and redemption, we will be filled with thanksgiving. As
we recall His promises of forgiveness, renewal, preservation, and glory, we
will live as a truly thankful people.
比起以前任何時刻，我們今天更需要讓基督的聖言豐豐富富住在我們心裡。如此，教會才能脫離困境，成為上帝所要的基督榮耀的身體。We need the word of
Christ to dwell in us richly today more than ever. Then churches may escape
being a mess and become the radiant body of Christ as God intended.為甚麼研究神学？ Why Study Theology?