牧者心聲
「進一步」保守自己
周曉暉牧師
2022 年 11 月 12 日 / 13 日
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有一次和家人玩 Pictionary（一種畫圖猜謎遊戲），抽到的謎底是「收費電視」（Pay TV），我便畫了一個金錢符號，再畫一部電視，太太很快就猜中了。但孩子問：那是甚麼？原來，這盒桌上遊戲已是 20 年前的版本，當時有線電視之類的收費電視服務還存在，現時這些服務已完全被「串流影音平台」（Video Streaming Services）取代了。
串流影音平台包羅萬有，不但有新的影視製作，就連許多舊的劇集系列也有提供。當你看過新的劇集之後，再看舊的劇集，有沒有發現除了畫質、故事和服飾道具有所不同之外，現在的劇集所展現的人際關係是更為複雜？甚至混亂的男女和婚姻關係也會被視作平常？其實，現今的影視作品或多或少也反照了社會的實況：人越發混淆愛與縱慾，不忠與出軌，也不當成一回事。
在初期教會身處的希臘羅馬文化，婚姻是被看作為保有財產和維繫權力的工具，而人們也習慣了「放縱邪情私慾」（帖前四 5，新譯本），大眾輿論甚少抨擊淫亂之事。但聖經告誡信徒：「誰也不要在這事上越軌，佔弟兄的便宜，因為這一類的事，主必報應」（四 6）。越軌的行為，是罔顧自己和別人的家人，是自私和貪婪的行徑。「這一類的事，主必報應」！從消極方面看，這是對信徒的嚴厲警告。「報應」除了指終末的審判，也指今生裡人要為所作的事承擔可怕的後果，我們不可不察。
另一方面，經文也提醒信徒：「你們既然接受了我們的教訓，知道應該怎樣行事為人，並且怎樣討神喜悅，就要照你們現在所行的更進一步」（四 1），即是說，信徒更要積極主動地「用聖潔尊貴的方法保守自己的身體」（四 4）。
我有一位朋友很喜歡中古時代奇幻題材的小說作品，當他知道某大串流平台正把一部著名的小說「影視化」，就滿心期待著。他看了第一集，見識到影視版的製作氣勢磅礡，但他同時也發現劇集裡加進了許多不必刻劃的情慾場面。最後他說：我還是看乾乾淨淨的小說版算了。
聖靈當然會在信徒的生命中作工，但人自己也要努力保守自己，這兩方面，並非互相排斥，而是相輔相承的。聖靈提醒了我這位朋友，而他也「進一步」保守自己。願我們彼此勸誡：務要嚴守關係界線，也努力守護自己的身心，「進一步」保護神所賜給你的家庭和人際關係。
I remember once when I played Pictionary (a drawing riddle game) with my family, I picked an answer which says “Pay TV.” So I drew a dollar sign and a TV set. My wife quickly came up with the correct answer for the riddle. But my kids asked: "What is that?" It turned out that the board game we had was the version 20 years ago. Pay TV similar to Cable TV were there but now such services have been replaced by video streaming services.
Video streaming audio-visual platforms have a lot to offer. Not only are there new productions but many old drama series are also on offer. When you look back at the old drama series after watching the new ones, do you notice that other than the differences in video resolution, plot and costume, the inter-personal relationships exhibited in contemporary drama series are more complicated? Even messy male-female and marital relationships are treated as normal. The truth is that contemporary productions reflect the reality of society to a certain extent: when people are getting increasingly confused about love and lust, unfaithfulness and improper behavior are treated as normal.
In the Greco-Roman culture which the early church was situated in, marriage was regarded as a means to retain wealth and power. People were also accustomed to "passionate lust" (1 Thessalonians 4:5), which was seldom criticized by public opinion. But the Bible exhorts believers: "In this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins..." (4:6). Improper behavior disregards oneself and the family of the other person. It is selfish and greedy. "The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins"! On the negative side, this is a stern warning for believers. The "punishment" points to both the final judgment as well as the terrible consequences in this life arising from such behavior. We must be careful.
On the other hand, the Scripture reminds believers: "… we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more" (4:1). That is to say, believers need all the more to take the initiative to actively "learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable" (4:4).
I have a friend who is a fan of fantasy fiction of the Middle Ages. When he learned that a large video streaming platform is making a film version of a famous novel, he was filled with expectations. He watched the first episode and saw how grand the film version was. Yet, he also found that many unnecessary scenes of lust were added to the film. His conclusion was: I had better go back to the clean, original novel.
For sure, the Holy Spirit will work in the lives of believers, but we must also strive to control ourselves. These two aspects are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they complement each other. The Holy Spirit had reminded this friend of mine, and he had also controlled himself "more and more." May we admonish one another: Keep and maintain our relationship boundaries and work hard to keep watch over our own body and heart, and "further" protect the family and relationships God has blessed us with.
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