人性和恩典Nature and grace (2)

Nature and Grace

人性和恩典（二）

 

 

節選，譯自[模仿基督] [the imitation of Christ]，作者  Author: Thomas a Kempis， 出版於1940年。

 

GRACE 恩典

 

grace walks in simplicity, turns away from all appearance of evil, offers no deceits, and does all purely for God in whom she rests as her last end.

恩典單純樸實，遠離一切邪惡，不具備任何欺騙手段，她的一切所作全然為主，因那是她歇世後將安然享受的父家。

 

grace resists sensuality, seeks to be in subjection, and does not desire to rule over anyone, but wishes rather to live under God for Whose sake she is willing to bow humbly to every human creature.

恩典抵抗感官享受，拒絕淫蕩，願意服從，沒有控製他人的欲望，而願活在上帝之下，為主，她心甘情願謙卑的伺候每一位人。

 

grace does not consider what is useful and advantageous to herself, but rather what is profitable to many. grace faithfully attributes all honor and glory to God.

恩典不會考慮什麽對自己有用和有利，而是什麽對其他人有利。恩典忠實的將所有榮譽和榮耀歸於上帝。

 

grace can not bear to be idle and embraces labor willingly.

恩典不堪忍受閑散，樂於做工。

 

grace delights in simple, humble things, not despising those that are rough, nor refusing to be clothed in old garments.

恩典喜愛簡單樸實的事物，不鄙視粗糙廉價之物，也不拒絕著裝老舊。（譯者注：那個年代著裝是身份地位的標記）

 

grace looks to eternal things and does not cling to those which are temporal, being neither disturbed at loss nor angered by hard words, because she has placed her treasure and joy in heaven where nothing is lost.

恩典看重永恒的事物，不執愛短暫的事物，既不會因失去財產，頭銜，名聲而心煩意亂，也不會因他人的惡語重傷而憤怒，因為她隻定晴於可存積天堂的永恒財寶和歡樂。

 

grace is kind and open-hearted. grace shuns private interest, is contented with little, and judges it more blessed to give than to receive.

恩典善良而豁達。恩典避諱私人利益，極易滿足，並且認定給予比接受更蒙福。

 

grace draws near to God and to virtue, hates the desire of the flesh, restrains her wanderings and blushes at being seen in public.

恩典被上帝和美德所吸引，討厭人本性的欲望，克製毫無目的的閑遊，並羞於拋頭露麵。

 

grace seeks consolation only in God, to find her delight in the highest good, above all visible things.

恩典隻在天父處尋求安慰，在那至高至善，人眼不可見的完美之處，她得著喜悅。

 

grace loves even her enemies and is not puffed up at having many friends. she does not think highly of either position or birth unless there is also virtue there. she favors the poor in preference to the rich. she sympathizes with the innocent rather with the powerful. she rejoices with the true man rather than with the deceitful, and is always exhorting the good to strive for better gifts, to become like the son of God by practicing the virtues.

恩典甚至愛她的敵人，也不會因為擁有許多朋友而張狂。她不看重人的權位或出生，除非那裏也有美德。她優先窮人而不是富人，她同情無辜而不是權勢。她為真男人而不是欺騙者歡欣鼓舞，並總在鞭策勵行良善，磨練實踐美德，以結出更好的果實而成為神兒子的樣式。

 

grace brings all things back to God in Whom they have their source. To herself she ascribes no good, but in every matter of sense and thought submits herself to eternal wisdom and the divine judgement.

恩典將萬物歸還給神，因萬物本源於神。她知道自己本性有惡，因此她在每件事上的心思意念都服從於那有永恒智慧的神靈的判斷。

 

grace does not care to hear news or curious matters, because all this arises from the old corruption of man, since there is nothing new, nothing lasting on earth.

恩典不在乎聽到新聞或好奇的事情，因它們都源於敗壞的人類。世上沒有新鮮事，也無事能恒久。

 

grace teaches, therefore, restraint of the senses, avoidance of vain self-satisfaction and show, the humble hiding of deeds worthy of praise and admiration, and the seeking in every thing and in every knowledge the fruit of usefulness, the praise and honor of God. She will not have herself or hers exalted, but desires that God Who bestows all simply out of love should be blessed in His gifts.

因此，恩典教導人們克製本能的感性，避免徒勞的自我滿足和顯擺，謙虛地掩飾值得讚美和欽佩的行為，在每件事和每個認知中尋求結出益人的果子，讚美和榮耀神。她不會高舉自己或自己所得成就，而是渴望將祝福獻給因愛而給人恩賜的天父。

 

grace is a supernatural light. a certain special gift of God, the proper mark of the elect and the pledge of everlasting salvation. it raises man up from earthly things to love the things of heaven. it makes a spiritual man of a carnal man.

恩典是超自然的光芒，上帝的特殊禮物，選民的正確印記和永恒救贖的保證。恩典使凡人從塵世中提升，愛上天堂裏才有的聖潔品德。它使一個肉欲的人成長為靈性的人。

 

The more, then, nature is held in check and conquered, the more grace is given. Every day the interior man is reformed by new visitations according to the image of God.

那麽，人性越是被檢查和戰勝，恩典的給予就越多。每一天，依照上帝的形像，我們裏麵的那個人在不斷的更新改進。

 

評議：

恩典美的讓人感動！主耶穌就是這完美恩典的榜樣，讓我們去模仿。人可不可以做到？附上【宣教士】的PDF，來自網上的轉載，簡敘了恩典光照的神的仆人，拋棄西方的優越生活和地位，以孤苦，磨難，和生命的代價將天父的愛傳入中國。神愛中國，才會呼召祂的極優秀的仆人遠赴中國。有人說基督教是洋教，中國人不要。那馬克思是德國人，正統洋人，中國人要了嗎？早在2650BC， 神讓倉頡造中國字時，神就已將天國的真理賜給了漢字。中國曆經磨難，神從未放棄，因有屬祂的子民在那裏，從神創世時就已定。神是世人的神，與國度無關，天父對人的愛，人不明白。一旦明白，你就會驚歎那海闊高深的愛是人間沒有的。神的恩典白白的賜給每一位世人，你願意接受就是你的。

 

如果我們活在世上，不認識神，那就是‘茫’然：草字頭預示人活得像草一樣，流著淚（三點水)，死（亡）。

【凡有血氣的盡都如草，他的美容都像野地的花。 草必枯乾，花必凋殘.....】以賽亞書 40:6