《评论与通讯》
THE REVIEW AND HERALD
1859年4月28日
罪人的考验
我们常听人将基督徒的生活描绘成充满考验、悲伤和忧愁的，只有很少的快乐和安慰;给人留下的印象往往是，要是他放弃信仰和追求永生的努力，场景就会变成快乐幸福的。但我却蒙引导将罪人的生活与义人的生活相比较。罪人并不想取悦上帝;因此不会有蒙祂嘉许的愉悦感。他不能无忧无虑地享受自己有罪的状态和世俗的快乐。他对这必死人生的弊病深有感触。确实，有时候罪人是极度烦恼的。他畏惧上帝，却不爱祂。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 1}
罪人能免遭失望、困惑、属世的损失、贫穷和痛苦吗?不能!在这方面，他并不比义人更安全。他往往被缠绵的疾病所困，却没有强壮有力的膀臂可以倚靠，也无法从更高的权威那里获得加强的恩惠来扶助他。他在软弱时必须倚仗自己的力量。他不能愉快地期待复活之晨，因为他没有将会与那时的福气有分的令人鼓舞的盼望。他虽然眼巴巴地瞻望将来，也得不到安慰，却被一种恐怖的不安全感所折磨，就这样瞑目而逝。这就是可怜的罪人虚荣快乐生活的终结。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 2}
基督徒会遭遇疾病、失望、贫穷、耻辱和痛苦。但在这一切逆境中，他仍然爱上帝，喜爱遵行祂的旨意，以祂的嘉许为最高的赏赐。在今生的冲突、试炼和变幻的境遇中，他知道有一位了解这一切，愿意侧耳垂听悲苦受难者的呼求，能同情人的每一忧伤，抚慰每一颗心最强烈的痛苦。祂邀请忧伤的人到祂这里来得安息。基督徒在一切的苦难中都有强烈的安慰，即使他在瞑目而逝之前患上了缠绵痛苦的疾病，他也能愉快地忍受这一切，因为他与他的救赎主保持着交流。当他以属天的满足瞻望将来时，你常会看到他因喜乐而容光焕发——只在坟墓中安息片时，赐生命的主就必来打破坟墓的枷锁，释放被掳的人，从尘埃的床榻上唤醒他，赐予永生，不再有痛苦、忧伤或死亡。要让基督徒的这个盼望成为我们的盼望，我们就不会再要求更多了。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 3}
许多人说基督徒的人生剥夺了我们的快乐和属世的享受。我说它所剥夺的是不值得拥有的事物。基督徒是否经历困惑、贫穷和苦难呢?是的，这一切在今生都是预料之中的。但是，所谓享受今世娱乐的罪人能免除人生的不幸吗?我们难道没有常常看到他脸色苍白，剧烈咳嗽，预示着致命的疾病吗?他岂不是患了热病和传染病吗?你是多么经常地听到他抱怨遭遇了严重的属世财产损失，想想看，那是他唯一的财宝啊。他失去了一切。罪人的这些烦恼被忽视了。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 4}
基督徒太容易认为只有自己日子过得很艰难;一些人似乎认为信奉不受欢迎的真理，自称跟从基督，有失身份。道路似乎艰难。他们以为自己要作出许多牺牲，但实际上他们并没有作出什么真正的牺牲。他们如果被接进上帝的家，那又有什么牺牲呢?他们因跟从基督，可能与贪爱世俗的亲属断绝了友谊，但请注意他们换来了什么──他们的名字被登在羔羊的生命册上，得蒙大大的提升，分享救恩，成为上帝的后嗣，与耶稣基督同作后嗣，承受永不衰残的基业。如果为了基督的缘故，那将他们与世俗亲属联系起来的纽带被削弱了，就形成了一个更强大的联系，一种把有限的人与无限的上帝联系在一起的纽带。我们离开错谬而接受真理，离开黑暗而进入光明，离开软弱而得到力量，离开罪孽而得称为义，离开属世必朽的名号与家业，换取永存的尊荣，以及永不衰残的财宝，这难道算是牺牲吗?即使在今生，基督徒也有一位可以倚靠的主。祂会帮助他忍受一切试炼。然而罪人却必须独自承受一切考验。他满心悔恨地下到坟墓的幽暗中，被撒但捆绑，因为他是撒但合法的猎物。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 5}
在我看来，世上若是有什么人应该时刻感恩的，那就是基督徒了。若有什么人甚至在今生也能享受幸福的，那就是耶稣基督的忠实门徒了。上帝的子民有责任快乐。他们应当激发快乐的心情。上帝的子民若长期生活在愁云惨雾中，无论到哪里去都投下阴影，那是不荣耀上帝的。基督徒应当照耀阳光而不是投下阴影。不信的人常常得到的印象是，宗教是件令人沮丧的事，基督徒的生活没有什么吸引人的地方。要是基督徒太多细想道路崎岖，就会使它比实际上更难走。要是他细想路上的亮点，并对每一线亮光都心存感激，然后细想赛程终点的丰富赏赐，他就会满面春风。他小心翼翼地珍藏了每一为善的记号，上帝可以安全地赐福给他，并使他心里喜乐。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 6}
愿主总是使我们生动地意识到已经为我们做出的伟大牺牲，然后把用那个昂贵的牺牲为我们买来的基业呈现在我们面前，且愿我们的视野明亮、清晰，能够深思和欣赏为忠心的基督徒准备的奖赏和卓越的荣耀。{RH April 28, 1859, par. 7}
怀爱伦
April 28, 1859
The Sinner’s Trials
We often hear the life of the christian described as being filled with trials, sadness and sorrow, with but little to cheer and comfort; and the impression is too often given, that if he should give up his faith and his efforts for Eternal Life, the scene would be changed to pleasure and happiness. But I have been led to compare the life of the sinner with the life of the righteous. The sinner does not have a desire to please God; therefore can have no pleasing sense of his approbation. He does not enjoy his state of sin and worldly pleasure without trouble. He feels deeply the ills of this mortal life. O yes, at times he is fearfully troubled. He fears God, but does not love him.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 1}
Is the sinner free from disappointment, perplexity, earthly losses, poverty and distress? O no! In this respect he is no more secure than the righteous. He often suffers lingering sicknesses, yet has no strong and mighty arm to lean upon, no strengthening grace from a higher power to support him. In his weakness he must lean upon his own strength. He cannot look forward with any pleasure to the resurrection morn, for he has no cheering hope that he will then have part with the blest. He obtains no consolation by looking forward to the future. A fearful uncertainty torments him, and thus he closes his eyes in death. This is the end of the poor sinner’s life of vain pleasures.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 2}
The christian is subject to sickness, disappointment, poverty, reproach and distress. Yet amid all this he loves God, and loves to do his will, and prizes nothing so highly as his approbation. In the conflicts, trials, and changing scenes of this life, he knows that there is One who understands it all; One who will bend his ear low to the cries of the sorrowful and distressed; One who can sympathize with every sorrow and soothe the keenest anguish of every heart. He has invited the sorrowing ones to come to him and find rest. Amid all his affliction the christian has strong consolation, and if he suffers a lingering, distressing sickness, before he closes his eyes in death, he can with cheerfulness bear it all, for he holds communion with his Redeemer. You often see his countenance radiant with joy, while he contemplates the future with heavenly satisfaction—only a short rest in the grave, and the Life-giver will break the fetters of the tomb, release the captive and bring him from his dusty bed immortal, never more to know pain, sorrow or death. Let this hope of the christian be our hope, and we will ask no more.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 3}
Many speak of the life of the christian taking away from us pleasure and worldly enjoyment. I say it takes away nothing worth having. Is there perplexity, poverty and distress endured by the christian? O yes, this is expected in this life. But is the sinner of whom we speak as enjoying the pleasures of this world free from these ills of life? Do we not often see in him the pale cheek, the racking cough, indicating a fatal disease? Is he not subject to burning fevers, and contagious diseases? How often do you hear his complaints of meeting with heavy losses of worldly goods; and consider, this is his only treasure. He loses all. These troubles of the sinner are overlooked.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 4}
Christians are too apt to think they are the only ones who have a hard time, and some seem to think that it is a condescension in them to embrace unpopular truth, and profess to be Christ’s followers. The road seems hard. They think they have many sacrifices to make, when in truth they make no real sacrifice. If they are adopted into the family of God, what sacrifices have they made? Their following Christ may have broken friendship with worldly relatives; but look at the exchange—their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—elevated, yes, greatly exalted to be partakers of salvation—heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, to an imperishable inheritance. If the link which binds them to worldly relatives is weakened for Christ’s sake, a stronger one is formed, a link which binds finite man to the Infinite God. Shall we call this a sacrifice on our part because we yield error for truth, light for darkness, weakness for strength, sin for righteousness, and a perishable name and inheritance, for honors that are lasting, and an immortal treasure? But even in this life the christian has One upon whom to lean for support who will help him bear all his trials. But the sinner has to bear his trials alone. He goes down into the grave suffering remorse, under darkness, bound by Satan, for he is his lawful prey.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 5}
It does seem to me if there is any one who should be continually grateful, it is the christian. If there is any one who enjoys happiness even in this life, it is the faithful follower of Jesus Christ. It is the duty of God’s children to be cheerful. They should encourage a happy frame of mind. God cannot be glorified by his children living continually under a cloud and casting a shadow wherever they go. The christian should cast sunshine instead of a shadow. The unbeliever often receives the impression that religion is a gloomy thing, and that the life of the christian has nothing inviting in it. If the christian dwells too much upon the rough pathway, he makes it harder than it really is. If he dwells upon the bright spots in the way, and is grateful for every ray of light, and then dwells upon the rich reward that lies at the end of the race, instead of gloom, mourning and complaints, he will bear a cheerful countenance. He has carefully treasured every token for good, and God can safely bless him, and give him gladness of heart.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 6}
May the Lord ever give us a lively sense of the great sacrifice which has been made for us, and then present before us the inheritance purchased for us by that dear sacrifice, and may our vision be brightened and clear to dwell upon and appreciate the reward and excellent glory prepared for the faithful christian.?{RH April 28, 1859, par. 7}
E. G. W.
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