Spiritual Thought for the Week 2008/11/9

Spiritual Thought for the Week
Last week a parishioner wrote me an email which he circulated to others. He asked if I supported the “liberal theological stand” or not. He wanted just a yes or no answer. When I tried to explain my position, he said, “No, Rev. Chan you have still not answered my question. Just say yes or no!” Having no other resort but this opportunity I am now using this column to answer to his question in a serious and honest way. I do not belong to the liberals, but the liberals belong to me. Just like I do not belong to the evangelicals, but the evangelicals belong to me. As a United Church minister I know the United Church does not belong to the liberals but the liberals belong to it. Just as the United Church does not belong to the evangelicals, but the evangelicals belong to it.
As Christians, we do not say we have to be loyal to any sects or to declare faithfulness to any persons. We only need to be loyal to our Lord and remain faithful to him. Colossians 1:10 said, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way.” Christians have a fundamental principle in life. It is to live a life worthy of the Lord, and please him in every way. Because we belong to the Lord, we are beneficiary of his great salvation and grace. We no longer belong to ourselves. We no longer belong to any other persons. We do not owe anybody anything. We do not have to please anyone other than the Lord. Often times we get misunderstood by others. But even then we can bear the injustice because we know we are doing it for the Lord. To live a life worthy of the Lord should be our number one concern. It is also our duty and our call.
Therefore no matter what work we are doing, the first thing we have to ask is thus. Is this worthy of the Lord? Is this worthy of His name? Can this bring glory to the Lord? Do we live a life that pleases the Lord? Have we made Him happy? Do not ask I ought to do this, I ought to do that! Can I do this? Can I do that? Especially do not ask, “How would people think if I do this?” What we need to ask first of all is to ask the Lord who loves us. What does He think? Does He think this is right?
We do know what He thinks because we have the Bible that teaches us, and we have the Holy Spirit that anoints us. If it makes the Holy Spirit worry, it is the thing we can not do. Though it seems not a big deal—like following the mob and doing foolish things that hamper unity. Or it may be things that people say it won’t hurt to do. But when we know it doesn’t please the Lord, we should not do it. If we do not live a life that is worthy of the Lord, and pleasing in His sight, how can we stand in front of Him when we have to meet Him face to face one day? Not to mention we lose communication with Him here and now. What a great pity it is to live in disconnection with the Lord. Our heart will have no peace or joy. And we will have to be disciplined by Him sooner or later. Live a life that is worthy of the Lord. We are not living under whatever doctrines, traditions, rites and rules we find in the church. We are not declaring whatever theological stands, preaching, ideology, school of thoughts we find in the seminary. We are serving a true and living Lord. What matter most is to live a life worthy of Him and please Him in every way.

本週默想分享
上週有一位教友用公開的電郵信件問我一個問題，要我明確的表態。 他說，“陳牧師你支不支持自由派神學的立場？”他堅持地說他只想知我說，‘是’或‘不是’，我說其他解釋的話，他都說我沒有回答他的問題。我沒有辦法，只有用這個地方嚴肅和謹慎地回答他。我不屬於自由派，但自由派是屬於我的。正如我不屬於福音派，但是福音派是屬於我的一樣。作為聯合教會的牧師，我知道聯合教會不屬於自由派，也不屬於福音派，但自由派是屬於它的，正如福音派也是屬於它的一樣。作為基督徒，我們不能說我要效忠於甚麼派別，要對得起甚麼人。我們只需要效忠於主，對得起主。歌羅西書1章10節說，“好叫你們行事為人對得起主，凡事蒙他喜悅。”基督徒有一個基本行事為人的原則，就是要對得起主，凡事蒙祂喜悅。因為我們是屬主的人，蒙了主極大的恩典和拯救，我們不再是屬自己的人，也不是屬乎別人，不欠任何人的債，也不要討任何人的喜悅，除非是為了主的緣故，受了委屈，也無所謂。怎樣做才能對得起主，是我們第一要考慮的事，也是我們唯一的責任和本分。
所以我們做任何事，要問一問是不是對得起主，與主的名相稱嗎？能夠使主得榮耀嗎？我們行事為人是叫主喜悅嗎？讓主心滿意足嗎？不管我們自己覺得應不應該，可不可以，也不管別人以為如何，首先的是要問愛我們的主。祂的意思如何？祂看為是對的嗎？
我們是可以知道的，因為不但有聖經明文的教訓，我們裏面也有恩膏的教訓。若叫聖靈擔憂，那就不能做，即或不是甚麼罪，如盲從附和，人云亦云的去搞分裂。或者人以為你沒有錯，但我們知道主不喜悅，就不應當做。我們若行事為人對不起神，不討祂的喜悅，將來怎能見他呢？就是現在失去和主的交通，也是極為可惜。心中必沒有平安喜樂，而且還要受主的管教。行事為人要對得起主。我們不是守甚麼教條，傳說，禮儀，規矩，也不是對待甚麼道理，講論，組織，制度，乃是一位又真又活的主，對得起祂，討祂喜悅。