哥林多前書 第3章 中英摘要

  哥林多前書有十六章,後書有十三章,總共二十九章,保羅這封信寫得這麼長,是因為哥林多教會存在著很多問題。

  保羅嚴肅的告訴哥林多教會:你們仍是屬肉體的。意指哥林多教會的人外表看起來是大人,但行為像嬰孩,受肉體的控制與支配,彼此嫉妒、紛爭。為何遲遲不受教?為何不能成長吃乾糧,仍需要人餵奶喝呢?

  哥林多教會結黨爭競,有些人說自己屬保羅,有些人說自己屬亞波羅的。保羅問:耶穌基督是可以拆開分黨派的嗎?我播種,亞波羅澆灌,我們兩人只是神的僕人做神的事工,算不得什麼,重要的是那使你們生長的神啊!

  其實我們都是被神耕種的田地,神鬆土、神撒種、神灌溉、神使之生長…,神翻轉了我們原本走向滅亡的生命,我們滿得祂的恩典,但是喝奶的嬰孩能否長成吃乾糧的大人,被耕種的田地能否收成百倍,端看我們願意被神翻轉嗎?

  我們與神同工建造房屋;神為我們打下根基,那已經立好的根基就是耶穌基督,我們每個人要謹慎怎樣在上面建造,因為最後都要向神交帳,我們建造的工程會通過如火般的考驗和審判,這時各人事奉的態度顯露無遺,若你將神擺在第一位,是用金、銀、寶石去建造房子,火無法燒滅你的用心,你的事工會被神記念、賞賜,誇你是個忠心良善的僕人;若你將神放在可有可無的地位,建造房子用草木禾稭草草了事,經火一燒,曾經有的一切立時灰飛煙滅,雖然仍有神恩典可得救,但卻完全沒有任何賞賜。

  這世界和其上的情慾都要過去,唯獨遵行神旨意的永遠常存。有些基督徒知道週日要聚會,卻不當一回事,只要有朋友邀約就去了,我們今生一直為那看得見的吃喝玩樂賣力,有一天見主面時,你會非常後悔,後悔當初為甚麼不認真一點?為甚麼不努力一點?為甚麼追求屬肉體的世界而不追求屬靈的生命?我們當明白現在建造的是甚麼,將來面對的就是甚麼!

  我們的身體是神的殿,是何等聖潔尊貴。聖經裡說教會是身體,基督是元首是教會的頭,弟兄姊妹互為肢體,每個肢體都有功能、價值,都很重要。我們活在基督的身體裡,又知道祂是宇宙獨一的真神,就要用最好的來服事祂。

  我們要長大成人,因為我們是神所耕種的田地,所建造的房屋,其中的豐盛與尊貴是看得出來的;同樣的,教會培訓我們、建造我們,美好的品質也是看得出來的。要成為神貴重的器皿,我們一定要傳福音,將人帶進能夠翻轉生命、建造生命的教會裡,讓人生命得著改變,讓神榮耀的旨意能夠在教會裡完全的彰顯。

2016/1/21 葉長老 風美小組訊息/ 方儀 摘錄整理

minion-972908_1920-1000

1 Chronicles 3

  The first Corinthians consists of 16 chapters, and the second Corinthians consists of 13 chapters; there are 29 chapters in total. The reason why Paul wrote such long letters were because there were many problems in the church of Corinth.

  Paul told the church in Corinth very seriously, “you are still worldly.” What Paul meant was that although the people in that church looked mature by their appearance, they were still acting like children; they were still controlled and dominated by their flesh. There were jealousy and quarreling among the people in the church of Corinth. Why couldn’t they learn their lesson? Why couldn’t they grow up and start eating solid food? Why were they still in need of milk?

  People in the church of Corinth were divided. Some said that they followed Paul, so Paul asked, “can God be divided?” Paul also told the people that he planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but they were doing nothing more than God’s work! They were merely God’s servants. Therefore, it is God who makes it grow that we should follow!

  In fact, we are all lands which God has been farming. God loosens the soil, plants the seed, waters it, and makes it grow. God changed our lives so that we are no longer walking toward our doom. Instead, we are now bestowed God’s grace. However, whether we can grow from milk-drinking infants to food-eating adults, and whether we can produce a hundred times what was sown, depend on our willingness to be changed by God.

  We are building a house with God, and God has already laid the foundation for us, that is, Jesus Christ. We must all be careful of what and how we build on this foundation, because we all have to answer to God. Our constructions will be tested and judged. When the Judgement Day comes, even our thoughts will be revealed. If you put God at the first place, you are building a house with gold, silver and diamond; your house will not be burnt down by the fire. If so, God will remember and reward you, and He will call you His good and faithful servant. If you consider God dispensable, you are building a house of wood and thatch; your house will be burnt down easily, and everything you have will be gone. If so, although you are still in God’s grace and are still saved, you will not be rewarded.

  Everything, even our flesh and lust, will perish someday; only God’s words will last. Some Christians go out with friends on Sunday when they are invited even though they know they should go to church. If you spend your time eating, drinking and playing, you will regret when you see God; “why haven’t I taken God’s words more seriously? Why haven’t I worked harder? Why have I pursued worldly pleasures instead of God?” Please remember that someday you will have to answer for what you’ve built.

  Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit; we are holy and dignified! It is said in the Bible that the church is the body, and Christ is the head. We are all part of this body, and we all have different functions and values. We are all important. We live in Christ, and we know that He is the only true God in the universe, so we need to serve Him with all our might.

  We should grow up, because we are the farms of God, and the house God build; our prosperity and dignity are visible and distinguishable. In the same way, our churches train and equip us; our good qualities are also visible. We should become the valuable vessels of God! We should spread the Gospel and introduce people to the God that can change and cultivate their lives. We should help change the lives of others and let God’s glory show in His churches.

2016/1/21 Message by Elder Yeh