牧者心聲
差傳月，說說「屬靈傳統」之一二
王良碧牧師
2024 年 9 月 14 日 / 15 日
Click here for English
最近，不知有沒有哪位肢體、哪些群體、哪位宣教士的分享或是他們的生命故事，令你深深地向神獻上感恩的呢？
有次在週四的祈禱會後，一位姊妹請我為她沉重的經濟負擔禱告，她同時分享她自己是如何靠神的恩典，持守住在收入較豐裕之時所做的信心認獻，這期間，她屢屢經歷了生意的難關，但神及時的供應卻施恩予她，因而更加堅固她的信心。在此之前，也有一對曾同往震區服事的夫婦分享過類似的見證。我聽完他們的分享，保羅在帖前三9的喟歎便油然而生：「我們為你們的緣故，在我們的神面前感到喜樂；為這一切喜樂，我們可以用怎麼樣的感謝來為你們報答神呢？」（新漢語譯本）
北宣家的七個「屬靈傳統」，不是被耶穌所責備、被文士和法利賽人所保有、成為當時屬神兒女之重擔的「人的傳統」，而是保羅勸勉信徒在領受神的救恩後「要站立得穩，要抓緊傳統，那些你們被教導的，不論藉著言語的，或是我們的書信的。」（帖後二15，原文直譯）中的傳統。這些教導、傳承，幫助我們持定所宣認的道，緊抓住基督的心意，活出祂樂意賜給我們的豐盛生命。
北宣家「屬靈傳統」的第六項是「信心認獻」。最直接的實踐，便是在每年的差傳年會中，就著來年的差傳預算做信心認獻。信心認獻所表達的，是在還不知自己未來的財務是否充裕足夠的情況下，認真地禱告，尋求聖靈的引導，定下一個目標，憑信承諾在未來特定期限內奉獻。這信心並非源於精明地審時度勢，也非來自對自己實現某個目標之能力的信任，而是仰望信靠那位供應充足、喜悅我們向祂獻上頌讚以及行善和捐助的祭、用大能成全我們向善的心願和信心工作的三一真神！（林後九8；來十三15-16；帖後一11）
宣信指出，「信心認獻」是個人就著普世宣教運動的經濟需要，在神面前立下信心的承諾，是更深的屬靈生命的行動。差派宣教士、支持本地或海外福音機構及種種福音事工，都需要經費。2022年差傳支出佔全年總支出的39.3%, 2023年佔33.7%。值此差傳月，邀請大家通過信心認獻參與差傳，回應往昔西教士領受神的大使命之後、跨越險阻和不計代價地帶給我們的基督救恩，並且體驗北宣家「屬靈傳統」的第三項「施比受更為有福」的真實性。
Recently, have you been moved to thank God with heartfelt gratitude by the sharing or the life story of a brother or sister, a community or a missionary?
Once at the end of a Thursday prayer meeting, a sister asked me to pray for her heavy financial burden. She shared how, by the grace of God, she managed to give according to the pledge of offering by faith she made when she was more financially abundant. During this time, she was met with one after another difficulty in her business. Yet, God is faithful and His timely provision further strengthened her faith. Earlier, a couple who went to serve in an area affected by earthquakes had shared a similar testimony. After listening to their sharing, I was reminded of Paul's wonderment in 1 Thessalonians 3:9: "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?"
The seven "spiritual legacies" of the NPAC family are not "human traditions" which Jesus condemned, which were retained by the Scribes and Pharisees, and which became a burden to the children of God at the time. Rather, they are the traditions Paul exhorted believers to hold fast to after receiving God's saving grace: "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Such teachings and heritage help us stand firm and hold fast to the word in which we profess. They give us a firm grasp of the will of Christ to live out the abundant life that He gladly gives to us.
The sixth "spiritual legacy" of the NPAC family is "Offering by Faith." The most direct way to put it into practice is to make a pledge to offer by faith for the budget for mission for the following year at the Mission Conference every year. To offer by faith means at a time when one is still unsure whether he will be financially abundant, he earnestly prays and seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit to set a target for giving and, by faith, promise to give a certain amount of financial offering within a specific timeframe in the future. Such faith does not arise from a scrutiny of the times and circumstances, nor does it come from confidence in one's ability to achieve a target. Instead, it is based on the Triune God we trust, God who blesses abundantly, who is pleased by our sacrifice of praise, good works and sharing with others, and who will bring to fruition our every desire for goodness and every deed prompted by faith by His power (2 Corinthians 9:8; Hebrews 13:15-16; 2 Thessalonians 1:11)!
According to A.B. Simpson, "Offering by Faith" is a promise by faith made before God for the financial needs of world mission. It is an act of a deeper spiritual life. Indeed, funding is needed for sending missionaries or supporting local or overseas gospel organizations and ministries. In 2022, our expenditure on mission made up 39.3% of the total expenditure. In 2023, it was 33.7%. In this Mission Month, I invite you all to take part in mission work through offering by faith. In doing so, you will be responding to the western missionaries of the past who, having received the Great Commission, traveled far and through all the difficulties, and at all costs, brought us the salvation of Christ. You will also be experiencing the truth about the NPAC family's third "spiritual legacy," which is "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
| 返回頁首 Back to Top |