牧者心聲
靈程同行手冊
周曉暉牧師
2025 年 4 月 5 日 / 6 日
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好的故事不一定是劇力萬鈞、畫面澎湃的；好的故事往往是在靜謐中，不經意地流露出憾動心靈的情節。回想近年看過的故事：有重視成績的家長和學業上苦苦掙扎的孩子，兩代產生很大矛盾；或是感情要好的同學摯友，卻在成長之後漸行漸遠，牽引出悲歡離合的遺憾；又或是兩代人面對死亡的反差並價值觀的碰撞，突顯了人性的瑕疵或扭曲。這些故事觸動心靈，也刺痛感受，逼使讀者或觀眾將故事與自己的處境比對，甚至因而反躬自省。
這一季，我們會看哥林多教會的故事。一提起這教會，就會想起「問題多多哥林多」的說法。哥林多書信所刻劃的真是一間問題多多的教會：分門結黨、爭榮逐利、婚姻混亂、自高放縱、漠視他人。保羅針對一個又一個教會難題，作出深邃的神學回應，不過，在教導督責和講論真理的背後，其實是一個又一個破碎生命的故事、彼此相爭的故事。「教會群體」正是哥林多前書的主要論題，書中羅列的各式生活難題，真實地反映出歷代教會都可能要面對的挑戰，而經文也指引著信主的群體可如何一一應對。
讀著書中刻劃的不像樣表現，總有一兩筆戳到今天自己教會的痛處。神的聖言催迫我們把經文與當下的教會生活作比對，好引以為鑑，也快快作出改變與糾正。
現時人們的生活，實際上已經與虛擬世界緊密結合，連帶人際交流和相處模式都出現了新的做法。與此同時，人與人之間的相處界線，也因著網絡的隱蔽性質而變得模糊，因而對傳統的社交規範和倫理關係產生了深遠的影響。隨著AI應用增多，這將進一步重塑我們的生活方式，也改變人際互動的形式。
只是，千百年來教會生活都是操練人與神往來的重要場景，更是人與人真實同行共處的時空。因為我們依然走在同一條天路上，所以信徒之間的交流，不論現實或是線上，始終要有清清楚楚的界線與守則，這是對彼此、對群體的保護和尊重。哥林多前書可說是給後世教會的一本靈程同行手冊，這手冊的代表圖像是十字架與愛心，是我們同行路上共同的標記。
保羅對教會個案的分解，都是源於十字架的信息。作為信徒，我們就是背著十字架跟隨基督的人。那麼，請記住！在這條靈程路上，我們都是背著十字架的人，務須以神的愛與身旁同背十架的弟兄姊妹，真摯同行。
Good stories may not always be dramatic or full of spectacular scenes. Often, poignant moments subtly revealed in quietness are what deeply move the heart. I can recall some stories I have encountered in recent years: the generational conflict between parents who emphasize academic performance and their struggling children; the bittersweet emotions in human interactions as a result of close childhood friends gradually drifting apart as they grow up; and the flaws and distortion of human nature due to clashes in the differing perspectives and values of two generations in the face of death. These stories touch the heart and sting the feelings, prompting readers or viewers to compare the stories with their own situations, and even examine and reflect deeply on themselves.
This quarter, we will look at the story of the Corinthian church. Whenever this church is mentioned, the phrase "the problematic Corinth" inevitably comes to mind. The epistle indeed depicts a church plagued with numerous issues: factions and divisions, selfish ambitions, marital chaos, arrogance and indulgence, and indifference toward others. Paul responds profoundly and theologically to each problem. Yet, behind his instructions, rebukes, and teachings of truth lie countless stories of broken lives and interpersonal conflicts. The "church community" is the central theme of 1 Corinthians. The wide array of real-life issues listed in the book genuinely reflect challenges that churches throughout history may face, and the Scripture provides communities of believers with guidance on how to address them one by one.
Reading about these unseemly behaviors often strikes a sensitive nerve, mirroring some pain points we experience in our own church today. God's holy word urges us to compare the Scripture with our current church life, helping us learn, reflect, and swiftly make necessary changes and corrections.
Nowadays, our daily lives have become closely intertwined with the virtual world, which brings about new ways to communicate and relate to one another. At the same time, the boundaries in interpersonal interactions have become blurred due to the hidden nature of the Internet. This has immense impact on traditional social norms and ethical relationships. With the expanding use of AI, our lifestyles and interpersonal dynamics will be reshaped even further.
Nevertheless, church life has always been the crucial arena for cultivating relationships between humans and God throughout the centuries. It is also a vital space for people to journey together authentically. As we are all traveling on the same heavenly road, interactions among believers, whether in person or online, must always be guided by clear boundaries and principles as protection and respect for one another and for the community. In this sense, 1 Corinthians serves as a handbook for the church in later generations for our spiritual journey together. The central symbols of this handbook are the cross and love, which are our shared marks on our journey together.
Paul's solutions for the church's issues are grounded entirely in the message of the cross. As believers, we are people who carry the cross and follow Christ. Therefore, please remember this: on this spiritual journey, we are all people who carry the cross. We must, with God's love, journey together with our brothers and sisters who also carry the cross in genuine fellowship.
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