10月2日
致加利福尼亚州洛马林达J.A.伯登长老
亲爱的伯登弟兄和姐妹：
我刚给尼古拉弟兄和姐妹写了一封信。我已寄给你这封信的副本。我们应该利用每一个机会拯救这些人。{PC 292.2}
使徒犹大写道：“亲爱的弟兄啊，我想尽心写信给你们，论我们同得救恩的时候，就不得不写信劝你们，要为从前一次交付圣徒的真道竭力的争辩。因为有些人偷着进来，就是自古被定受刑罚的，是不虔诚的，将我们上帝的恩变作放纵情欲的机会，并且不认独一的主宰、我们主耶稣基督。 ……亲爱的弟兄啊，你们却要在至圣的真道上造就自己，在圣灵里祷告，保守自己常在上帝的爱中，仰望我们主耶稣基督的怜悯，直到永生。有些人存疑心，你们要怜悯他们;有些人你们要从火中抢出来，搭救他们;有些人你们要存惧怕的心怜悯他们，连那被情欲沾染的衣服也当厌恶”(犹3,4,20-23)。{PC 292.3}
我们将遭遇那些已经离弃真道之人更加坚决的反对。那些曾经是刚强的教师，却已离弃主的道路的人，会同样刚强地反对真理。现在需要教育我们的人惟独倚赖上帝。他们必须认识到他们不可倚赖任何人的声音或人血肉的膀臂。我们始终需要谨记以色列人的经验，学习他们失败的记录所要教导我们的教训。……{PC 292.4}
主希望你明白你拯救自己灵魂的个人的责任。既有上帝的道作你的向导和指导者，你就应亲自做成自己得救的工夫。你应该努力获得永生，那时你就可以永远与主同住。你在学习如何才能获得永生时，要寻求那惟独上帝才能赐予的智慧。要接受这个邀请：“你们中间若有缺少智慧的，应当求那厚赐与众人、也不斥责人的上帝，主就必赐给他。”使徒雅各说：“我的弟兄们，你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜乐;因为知道你们的信心经过试验，就生忍耐。但忍耐也当成功，使你们成全、完备，毫无缺欠。你们中间若有缺少智慧的，应当求那厚赐与众人、也不斥责人的上帝，主就必赐给他。只要凭着信心求，一点不疑惑;因为那疑惑的人，就像海中的波浪，被风吹动翻腾。这样的人不要想从主那里得什么。心怀二意的人，在他一切所行的路上都没有定见”(雅1:2-8)。{PC 292.5}}
有一种个人的工夫要人人去下，之后我们的操劳才能为别人有所成就。忍受试探的人有福了，他在受试炼的时候，把生命的道当作自己的道，向主提出这些应许，并且认领这些应许。这人不倚赖任何一个人的能力，而是倚赖耶和华的力量。{PC 292.6}
对上帝之道的信心会使我们实现祂的应许。“你们奉我的名无论求什么，我必成就，”救主宣布，“你们若奉我的名求什么，我必成就”(约14:13,14)。“你们祷告，无论求什么，只要信，就必得着”(太21:22)。当我们学习倚赖上帝而不是倚赖人的话时，祂就必使那道在基督耶稣里对我们成为“是的和阿们的”(林后1:20)。{PC 292.7}
伯登弟兄和姐妹，要研究这道。你们不要去找任何人以得知你们的职责。要以圣经为你们的向导;实践它的教导。“你们求，就必得着”(约16:24)。我们都需要更深的灵性;我们各人都应该为自己寻求上帝。但愿我们始终记住，当我们设法效法基督耶稣这一个模范时，我们应当保持自己的个性。{PC 293.1}
“我亲爱的弟兄们，不要看错了。各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的;在祂并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。祂按自己的旨意，用真道生了我们，叫我们在祂所造的万物中好像初熟的果子。我亲爱的弟兄们，这是你们所知道的，但你们各人要快快的听，慢慢的说，慢慢的动怒，因为人的怒气并不成就上帝的义”(雅1:16-20)。当上帝的道得到接受和听从时，你们的光就会在好行为中发出来。“只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。因为听道而不行道的，就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目，看见，走后，随即忘了他的相貌如何。惟有详细察看那全备，自由之律法的，并且时常如此，这人既不是听了就忘，乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上必然得福。若有人自以为虔诚，却不勒住他的舌头，反欺哄自己的心，这人的虔诚是虚的。在上帝我们的父面前，那清洁没有玷污的虔诚，就是看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且保守自己不沾染世俗”(雅1:22-27)。{PC 293.2}
Elder J. A. Burden Loma Linda, California
Dear Brother and Sister Burden,
I have just written a letter to Brother and Sister Nicola. I have sent you a copy of this. We should use every opportunity we have to save these souls.?{PC 292.2}
The apostle Paul writes, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 3, 4, 20-23)?{PC 292.3}
We shall have more decided opposition to meet from those who have departed from the faith. Those who were once strong teachers, but who have forsaken the way of the Lord, will be just as strong in their opposition of the truth. There is need now that our people be educated to put their trust in God alone. They must learn that their trust is not to be placed in any human voice or arm of flesh. We need ever to keep in mind the experiences of the children of Israel, and learn the lesson that the record of their failures is intended to teach us....?{PC 292.4}
The Lord wants you to understand your individual responsibility for the salvation of your soul. With the word of God as your guide and instructor, you are to personally work out your own salvation. You are to strive to secure eternal life, when you may dwell forever with the Lord. In studying how you may gain this, seek for that wisdom which God alone can impart. Accept the invitation, “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given.” “My brethren,” the apostle James writes, “Count it all joy...”?James 1:2-8?{PC 292.5}
There is an individual work for all to do before our labors can accomplish anything for others. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, who when he is tried, takes the word of life as his own, brings the promises to the Lord, and claims them as his. This man relies not on any human power, but on the strength of the Lord.?{PC 292.6}
Faith in the word of God will bring to us the fulfilment of His promises. “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do,” the Saviour declares. “If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” “And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, believing, ye shall receive.” When we learn to place our reliance, not on the words of man, but in God, He will make that word yea and Amen to us in Christ Jesus.?{PC 292.7}
Brother and Sister Burden, study the Word. You are not to go to any man to learn your duty. Take the Bible as your guide; live its teachings. “Ask, and ye shall receive.” We all need a deeper spirituality; we should each seek God for ourselves. Let us ever remember that while we seek to follow one pattern Christ Jesus, we are to maintain our individuality.?{PC 293.1}
“Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”(James 1:16-20) When the word of God is received and obeyed, your light will shine forth in good works. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:22-27) -?{PC 293.2}
搜索
