什麼是基督徒的靈命?Whatis Christian spirituality?
Question:
"What is Christian spirituality?"
問題:什麼是基督徒的靈命?
Answer:
When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit who seals us for the day of
redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would
lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13). Part of that truth is taking the things
of God and applying them to our lives. When that application is made, the
believer then makes a choice to allow the Holy Spirit to control him/her. True
Christian spirituality is based upon the extent to which a born-again believer
allows the Holy Spirit to lead and control his or her life.
回答: 當我們重生後,就有了聖靈為救贖之日的印記(以弗所書1:13;4:30)。耶穌承諾聖靈要引導我們明白「一切的真理」(約翰福音16:13);其中一部分便是在生活中應用神的教誨。通過實踐,信徒選擇讓聖靈駕馭自己。基督徒的靈命取決於重生後在生活中由聖靈帶領和掌控的程度。
The
apostle Paul tells believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. “Do not get
drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit”
(Ephesians 5:18). The tense in this passage is continual and therefore means
“keep on being filled with the Spirit.” Being filled with the Spirit is simply
allowing the Holy Spirit to control us rather than yielding to the desires of
our own carnal nature. In this passage Paul is making a comparison. When
someone is controlled by wine, he is drunk and exhibits certain characteristics
such as slurred speech, unsteady walk, and impaired decision making. Just as
you can tell when a person is drunk because of the characteristics he displays,
so a born-again believer who is controlled by the Holy Spirit will display His
characteristics. We find those characteristics in Galatians 5:22-23 where they
are called the “fruit of the Spirit.” This is true Christian spirituality,
produced by the Spirit working in and through the believer. This character is
not produced by self effort. A born-again believer who is controlled by the
Holy Spirit will exhibit sound speech, a consistent spiritual walk, and
decision making based on the Word of God.
使徒保羅告訴信徒要被聖靈充滿。「不要醉酒,酒能使人放蕩,乃要被聖靈充滿」(以弗所書5:18)。這句經文的時態呈持續性,因此意味著「要一直不斷地被聖靈充滿」。被聖靈充滿即受聖靈支配,不屈從于人類的肉體本能。保羅在這段經文中作了一個對比。一個人被酒精控制後,表現出言語不清、東倒西歪、判斷力下降等特徵。正如醉酒之人會有他們的特點,一個由聖靈支配的重生基督徒則表現出屬靈的特徵來。我們在加拉太書5:22-23中找到了被稱為「聖靈之果實」的這些特徵。它是真正的基督徒的靈命,通過聖靈在信徒身上做工而產生,絕不是自我努力的結果。由聖靈支配的重生基督徒會表現出言語得體、持續的靈命成長,以及以聖經為準則作決策。
Therefore,
Christian spirituality involves a choice we make to “know and grow” in our
daily relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ by submitting to the ministry of
the Holy Spirit in our lives. This means that, as believers, we make a choice
to keep our communication with the Spirit clear through confession (1 John
1:9). When we grieve the Spirit by sin (Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 1:5-8), we erect
a barrier between ourselves and God. When we submit to the Spirit's ministry,
our relationship is not interrupted (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Christian
spirituality is a consciousness of fellowship with the Spirit of Christ,
uninterrupted by carnality and sin. Christian spirituality develops when a
born-again believer makes a consistent and ongoing choice to surrender to the
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
因此,基督徒的靈命包括在每日與主耶穌基督的關係中選擇「學習和成長」,完全順服于聖靈在我們生命中的事奉。這意味著:作為信徒,我們選擇通過認罪來保持與聖靈的交通(約翰一書1:9)。如果因罪而使聖靈憂傷(以弗所書4:30;約翰一書1:5-8),就會在自己和神之間樹起一道障礙。當順服聖靈時,我們與神的關係就不會間斷(帖撒羅尼迦前書5:19)。基督徒的靈命是感知與基督之靈的關係,不受肉身和罪性的打擾。當重生信徒堅持不懈地選擇讓聖靈作主時,他的靈命就在長進。