有一次,我们在南半球参加一个培灵聚会,那天来了20个朋友,有十几个都决志信主。会后他们找我们谈,很多人都是婚前同居的,他们说他们在国内的父母亲准许他们这样,因为在海外孤单,又花钱,所以就同居好了。没有人告诉他这是错的。可是那天那么多的人在主的面前悔改,他们决定离开那样的关系。他们甚至流着泪跟我们说“为什么没有人纠正我们,为什么没有人告诉我们?”聚会完了之后,有机会和那一带的牧者有个餐会,他们跟我们讲,“你们怎么这么勇敢,敢讲这样的道?”我说你们为什么不敢讲,他们说“我们只要一讲,这些人就离开教会。”今天就在于我们holding the truth是不是真正在爱的里面。我不是说讲话的方式,也不是说讲话的态度而已,而是我们整个的动机,目的是不是真正爱对方。真的爱够的话,我会去说的,因为我是真正爱你。不要把重点放在我要去对付你,我要去纠正你,我要去成全你,没有那个爱做根基,光打真理的仗,常常是假着真理的旗号发我们肉体的争竞。常常我们在这里如果只是confront,但是却不是care enough to confront,很多时候我们就会带来伤害,这是我们都要学的,不容易啦。尤其你要confront一些伤害你的人,或是长久以来很消极,攻击你的人,那是很不容易的事情。但是我希望多有一些弟兄姊妹能够很勇敢的起来,我们为着神家,虽然我们一方面不轻易发怒,不计算人的恶,但是另一方面,真正的爱是不喜欢不义,只喜欢真理。这个要平衡的。
Memorization verse: 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
A) The importance of “oneness” to “edifying of the body of Christ”
- From “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3) to “till we all come to the unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13)
● 1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
B) 「成全聖徒」的根基是『 』, 是其動機與內涵
-愛對方:為了『增加對方 ,擴大對方 』
B) “Oneness” is the foundation of “Equipping the Saints”. Love is the motivation and substance.
- Love one another: “To increase each other’s , and to expand each other’s .”
C) 保羅在此段經文中關乎『愛』的三個教導
a) 用愛心 .
▪ 4愛是恆久忍耐,又有恩慈…7凡事包容,凡事相信,凡事盼望,凡事忍耐。(林前13:4, 7)
b) 用愛心 【或作:在愛中持守真理/真實 (speaking/holding the truth in love】
▪ 5 …不輕易發怒,不計算人的惡, 6 不喜歡不義,只喜歡真理…(林前13:5-6)
c) 在愛中 .
▪ 8愛是永不止息 (林前13:8)
C) The three teachings concerning “love” from Paul in this verse:
a) in love
● 4. Love suffers long and is kind… 7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4,7)
b) in love
● 5….is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth... (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)