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All trinity studies Previous Download Next What did the People Who Created the Trinity Doctrine Believe What did the People Who Created the Trinity Doctrine Believe? Starting with who created the Trinity doctrine… ATHANASIUS brought in the 3 in 1 idea in 325 AD long after the Bible was written. And what is now known as the THREE CAPPADOCIANS brought in the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being in 381 AD also long after the Bible was written. ATHANASIUS and the THREE CAPPADOCIANS came from the Alexandria catechetical school, which revered ORIGEN who applied the ALLEGORICAL method of explaining Scripture, which was influenced by Plato and its strong point was PAGAN. “The Alexandria catechetical school, which revered Clement of Alexandria and ORIGEN, the greatest theologian of the Greek Church, as its heads, applied the ALLEGORICAL METHOD to the explanation of Scripture. Its thought was influenced by Plato: its strong point was [PAGAN] theological SPECULATIONS. ATHANASIUS and the THREE CAPPADOCIANS [the men whose Trinitarian views were adopted by the Catholic Church at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople] had been included among its members.” — (Hubert Jedin, Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: an Historical Outline, 1960, p. 28) The pagan idea of the 3 in 1 god from ATHANASIUS resulted from studying the works of ORIGEN. “That being said, Athanasius is applying these standard arguments to a more highly developed NEO-PLATONIST PHILOSOPHY and a more cultural diverse society than any previous theologian had faced. Still, the INFLUENCE OF ORIGEN is felt throughout the work, particularly in Athanasius' opening statements about the existence (or rather, non-existence) of evil and the refutation of various dualistic cosmologies.” — (Jonathan Shelley, Critique of Athanasius Two Books against the Heathens) So what did ORIGEN teach and believe whose teachings educated ATHANASIUS? Origen wrote, “Could any man of sound judgment suppose that the first, second, and third days (of creation) had an evening and a morning, when there were as yet no sun or moon or stars? Could anyone be so unintelligent as to think that God made a paradise somewhere in the east and planted it with trees, like a farmer, or that in that paradise he put a tree of life, a tree you could see and know with your senses, a tree you could derive life from by eating its fruit with the teeth in your head? When the Bible says that God used to walk in paradise in the evening or that Adam hid behind a tree, no one, I think, will question that these are ONLY FICTITIOUS STORIES of things that NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED, and that figuratively they refer to certain mysteries.” — (Tadros Y. Malaty, Before Origen, p. 134) Origen also “believed the Holy Spirit was a feminine force, that Jesus was only a created being and Gnosticism taught that Jesus became Christ at his baptism but that he was never God. He was a just a good man with very high morals. He believed in the doctrine of Purgatory, transubstantiation, transmigration of the soul and reincarnation of the soul. He doubted the temptations of Jesus in Scripture and claimed they could have never happened. The Scriptures were not literal. Genesis 1-3 was a myth, not historical or literal, as there was no actual person named “Adam.” Based upon Matthew 19, a TRUE MAN OF GOD SHOULD BE CASTRATED, WHICH HE DID TO HIMSELF. He taught eternal life was not a gift, instead one must grab hold of it and retain it. Christ enters no man until they mentally grasp the understanding of the consummation of the ages. He taught there would be no physical resurrection of the believers.” — (See Dr. Ken Matto, Origen's Gnostic Belief System) Origen's beliefs clearly indicate that he was a Gnostic Greek Philosopher and not a true child of God. It is these insane beliefs that brought about the Trinity doctrine! The above is very brief information to prove a point. There is an abundance of history and evidence that reveals the Doctrine of the Trinity emanates straight from the dunghill of Roman decretals. Its origin is pagan and from Satan so he could achieve worship and have us deny Jesus is the literal Son of God, thus preventing entrance into the kingdom. It is philosophy, vain deceit and man's tradition. It denies Jesus, preaches another Jesus, another spirit and another Gospel. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Is Jesus Christ GOD (Long version) Is Jesus Christ GOD? Is Jesus God? There are actually two answers to this question. One is most definitely yes! The other answer is no! And the answer depends upon what you mean by "God". Confused? There's no need to be! You see, the word "God" in the Bible refers to two things. In one instance it refers to the 'all supreme being', the 'almighty God'. And in another instance it refers to the divine nature, the 'God nature'. So we will show you that while Jesus is FULLY divine and is FULLY God by nature (being begotten of the Father from eternity, Micah 5:2, Proverbs 8:22-30), he is not the 'all supreme being' and 'almighty God', as that is His Father alone. Quick Note: Jesus is NEVER called 'God the Son' in the Bible. He is always called the 'Son OF God'. Now according to the Trinity doctrine, Jesus Christ is the 'eternal, self-existent God', known as 'God the Son'. Some even view Him as the 'One God', even thinking Jesus is the Father also. But to believe that Jesus is the 'almighty God' and 'Father' Himself is to believe that Jesus is the immortal God but died, is the invisible God that no man can see, but was seen, is the omnipotent God but needed strength from angels, is the omniscient God but did not know the day of his return, is as great (in authority) as His Father but said His Father is greater than He, is the begotten Son and the unbegotten God, came out from Himself, prayed to Himself, gave power to Himself, thanked Himself, bore witness of Himself, went back to Himself, sits at the right hand of Himself, is His own Father and His own Son, left Heaven and yet was there all the time. And so the CONFUSION of Babylon continues! And the whole world is deceived! So let us unravel the confusion. We will start with the most used verse to support the theory that Jesus is 'the almighty God' Himself, John 1:1: John 1:1-2 ...'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.' Those four words above, 'the Word was God' has convinced many a Christian to believe that Jesus is the 'almighty God' Himself. And yet they miss the simple meaning of what John was saying. Is this all John had to say about Christ? No. Look at what he said towards the end of his gospel: John 20:31 ...'But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.' Why did John write his gospel? So that people might believe that Jesus Christ is the 'almighty God'? No! That people might believe He is the SON OF God. And John records this just a few verses after John 20:17, where he records Christ telling Mary ... "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." Revelation 3:12 ...'Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name' Do you see the problem with taking John's words in John 1 and applying a teaching to it without comparing scripture with scripture? So how can we reconcile this? How can John say that Jesus 'is God' and also say He is the 'Son OF God' and also record Jesus saying that the Father is 'HIS GOD'? Well, as I mentioned above, people are missing the simple message of John 1 and have a wrong understanding of it. To begin with, the English translations of John 1:1 have a small but yet important word missing, which is in the original Greek. Let's add that word back in and see how it changes the verse ... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with [THE] God, and the Word was God." ... So Christ was with THE God in the beginning. So He was with someone who is THE God. Who is that? Again, John records it for us: John 17:1-3 ...'Father ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee THE only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' So John records a prayer that Jesus made to His Father in heaven, and Jesus confirmed in this prayer that His Father is THE only true God. So now we know who Christ was with in the beginning. And who is [THE] God? It is God the Father. The only being that is ever called "God the ..." in the Bible. The Holy Spirit is never called 'God the Holy Spirit' and Jesus is never called 'God the Son'. Only the Father is called this, as He is 'THE only true God', which Jesus confirmed in John 17:3 and Paul confirmed in 1 Corinthians 8:6. Just think about this example for a moment. Let us reapply John 1:1 to Adam and Eve ... "In the beginning was the woman and the woman was with the human, and the woman was human.". Now does this mean Eve is as old as Adam? No, because we know Adam was created first (to represent the Father). Or does it mean that Eve is actually Adam herself? No, of course not. It is simply stating that Eve is human, just like Adam. Keep this thought in your mind as we look further. Now let us go a bit deeper into God's Word to further clarify this truth, that Jesus is God (divine) because He is the SON OF God, but not the 'almighty God' Himself. There is a deep and beautiful truth in the creation of Adam and Eve that the majority of Christians miss today. Let's take a look. Genesis 1:26 ...'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' "Satan was once an honored angel in heaven, next to Christ. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing great intelligence. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. But when God said to His Son, 'Let us make man in our image,' Satan was jealous of Jesus." (E.White, Early Writings, p.145) Genesis 2:21-23 ...'And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' John 16:27-28 ...'For the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, AND am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.' John 17:7-8 ...'Now they have known that all things whatsoever you have given me are of you. For I have given unto them the words which you gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from you, and they have believed that you did SEND me.' Proverbs 8:22-25 ...'The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.' There is such a beautiful truth in these words which many miss. God said 'let us make man in our image'. So first of all, if the trinity was truth, then why didn't God make three people? Why did He only make two? Not only that, can you see what happened with Adam and Eve is an IMAGE of what happened with God the Father and Jesus Christ? The man existed first and then the woman was taken out of man. And Jesus confirmed Himself as you can see above, that this is also what happened with Him. He came OUT of the Father, which is what Proverbs 8 and Micah 5:2 also confirm. So for Jesus to come out of the Father, it means God the Father existed first, and is represented by Adam. Then Jesus came OUT FROM or 'begotten' of the Father, and is represented by Even being taken OUT OF Adam. So what does this mean? It means that just as Eve shared the same human nature as Adam, being taken out of Adam, Jesus shares the same nature as God the Father, because He was taken out of God. This is why John said that Jesus is 'God' in John 1. He wasn't saying that Jesus is the 'almight one true God'. He was simply stating the fact that Christ shares the same nature as His Father, being the SON OF God the Father. And that makes Him 'God'. I am human, so my son is human. God the Father is God (divine), so Jesus His Son is also God (divine). Do you see this? Now take a look at the following verse in Revelation ... "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God." (Rev.3:14) ... So this verse confirms that Jesus is 'the beginning of the creation of God'. And who wrote this? John! The very person who wrote 'in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with [THE] God.' So in what way was Christ the beginning of the creation of God? Was Christ created by God? No! Christ was 'begotten' of the Father and literally 'came out of God'. This verse is saying that Christ is the very first 'action' of God. Christ 'coming out of God' was the very first action that the Father did, before anything was created. And this is what John is referring to in John 1:1. He is confirming that at the beginning of creation, Christ was with God. Many people miss the word 'beginning' and forget that it must mean the beginning of something. So John 1:1 is talking about the beginning of creation. And because Christ was 'brought forth' from the Father BEFORE anything was created, then John simply confirmed that Jesus was with God the Father at the beginning of creation. John is not saying that Jesus never had a beginning Himself. He is simply saying that Jesus was with God at the beginning of creation. Now read Proverbs 8 again ... "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.' ... Now can you see what John meant by 'in the beginning'? Christ is speaking through Solomon about Himself! And He confirms that 'in the beginning' of the Father's way, Christ was 'brought forth' as God's Son, before anything was created! "Oh!! ... But Thomas said to Jesus ... 'My Lord and My God'!" (John 20:28) This is the other verse that many Christians fall back on today to say that Jesus is 'the almighty God'. But again, they miss the simple truth of it. Remember that this is just a few verses before John says ... 'But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.' (John 20:31). So what do you think John is believing when he writes the account of Thomas? That Jesus is 'the almighty God'? No, that cannot be, because John focuses, as stated, in proclaiming that Jesus is the 'SON OF God', not the 'one true God' Himself (John 17:3). So what about the proclamation of Thomas? Well what did Jesus tell the disciples previous to this? John 14:8-10 ...'Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.' Again, this is one of those verses that people misuse to say that Jesus is the Father, and they completely ignore the rest of scripture, and common sense, which says Jesus is the Son of the Father, not the Father Himself. But what is Jesus saying above? That He reveals the Father to us. Jesus revealed the character of God, and it was God the Father dwelling in Jesus, by His Spirit, just as He dwells in us through His Spirit, guiding and helping us. And who else heard the above words to Phillip? Thomas! So Thomas knew that the Father was dwelling in Christ, through His Spirit, which is why he proclaimed "My Lord and My God". But the proclamation of Thomas in no way makes Jesus the Father or the 'one almighty God'. Please don't forget this important point. This is all from the gospel of John. And what did John say he wrote all this information to show us? That Jesus is 'the one true God'? No. To show us that Jesus is the 'SON OF' the one true God the Father. "Oh!! ... but Jesus is called the 'everlasting Father' in Isaiah 9:6". Well, what does that verse say? It says that Jesus 'SHALL be called' the everlasting Father. So this is talking about a FUTURE time. And what future time could that be referring to? The cross! And what did Jesus become at the cross? 'the AUTHOR of eternal life' (Hebrews 5:9), and the 'CAPTAIN of our salvation' (Hebrews 2:10). So yes, Jesus is our 'Father' of eternal life, because as the Bible says, God has 'put all things under His feet' (Hebrews 2:8). And Jesus declares that we are the 'children' whom God the Father has given to Jesus (Hebrews 2:13). So this prophecy in Isaiah is foretelling a time when Jesus would become a 'Father' to us IN OUR HUMANITY, as Jesus became one of us. But He is not God the Father. The Bible is so clear on this. Take a look at this quote ... "However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not only our shepherd; He is our 'everlasting Father.' And He says, 'I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father.' John 10:14, 15, R. V. What a statement is this!--the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be 'the Man that is My fellow' (Zech. 13:7), --the communion between Him and the eternal God is taken to represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth! Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.483) Can you see what is being said above? Jesus as our 'Father' is a REPRESENTATION of the relationship between Himself and His Father which is God the Father, the one true God (John 17:3, 1 Cor.8:6). So we can see that Isaiah 9:6 is not prophesying that Jesus 'IS' the Father. It is prophesying that Jesus would 'become' a 'Father' to us. Like a Father-figure to us. Those who believe in the trinity and believe that Jesus is also the one God, have to believe that ... "God sent himself into the world, died to reconcile the world to himself, raised himself from the dead, ascended to himself in heaven, pleads before himself in heaven to reconcile the world to himself, and is the only mediator between man and himself ... We must believe also that in the garden God prayed to himself, if it were possible, to let the cup pass from himself, and a thousand other such absurdities." (J. N. Loughborough). And as J.N.Loughborough said, it is just 'absurd'. Some of those other absurdities attached to this belief is that Jesus is the immortal God but died, is the invisible God but was seen, is the omnipotent God but needed strength from angels, is the omniscient God but did not know the day of his return, is as great (in authority) as His Father but said His Father is greater than He, is the Son but the same age as the Father, is the begotten Son and the unbegotten God, is very God and very man, came out from Himself, prayed to Himself, gave power to Himself, thanked Himself, bore witness of Himself, went back to Himself, sits at the right hand of Himself, is His own Father and His own Son, left Heaven and yet was there all the time. And so the CONFUSION of Babylon continues! And the whole world is deceived! But the truth that is found in God's Word is clear, without confusion and very logical, as we have shown above. Friend, Satan wants you to turn away from the one true God, which is the Father. And he also wants you to reject Jesus as the literal Son of God. Satan wants you to be confused about God so that your relationship with God and Jesus cannot grow. I mean, how can we truly have a relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father, when we are confused about who they are? It's impossible to have a true relationship with the 'trinity god'. Let me state that again - It is impossible to have a true relationship with the 'trinity god'. And if Satan stops you having that true relationship with the Father and Son, then he wins in your life. John 17:3 ...'And this is eternal life, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' John 8:16-18 ...'And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.' John 3:16 ...'For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' 1 John 5:5 ...'Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?' Proverbs 30:4 ...'Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, AND what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?' 1 Corinthians 8:6 ...'But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; AND one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.' 1 John 1:3 ...'Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.' It cannot be made any clearer that there are only two divine beings in the Godhead, and that Jesus Christ is not the Father, or the one true God. Jesus is the SON OF the one true God. There is one God, the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ, whom is the Son of the Father. This is very clear, logical and Biblical Truth. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Who does Salvation Belong to WHO DOES SALVATION BELONG TO ? Revelation 7:9-10 ... “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to OUR GOD WHICH SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB.” To anyone who can count, this verse is very clear, and it tells us that salvation belongs to TWO beings. The One who “sits upon the throne” ... AND ... the “Lamb”, of which Zechariah confirmed regarding the “council of peace” (plan of salvation): Zechariah 6:12-13 ... “And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and THE COUNSEL OF PEACE SHALL BE BETWEEN THEM BOTH.” When Stephen was in vision, speaking to the council in Acts 7, he saw the following: Acts 7:55-56 ... “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and JESUS STANDING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and THE SON OF MAN STANDING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.” So we know that Jesus is the “Lamb”, the one at the right hand of God. But who is the God “on the throne” ? Ephesians 1:17-20 ... “That THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of HIM: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, WHICH HE WROUGHT IN CHRIST, WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, AND SET HIM AT HIS OWN RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.” Jesus said ... Revelation 3:21 ... “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with MY FATHER in his throne.” So the God on the throne is GOD THE FATHER and Jesus Christ is “at the right hand” of God the Father. So who does salvation belong to ? THE FATHER AND THE SON ! Salvation does not belong to any “trinity god”. We will not be saved by a “trinity”. We will be saved by God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. And that is why worship will be given to these TWO alone for ALL ETERNITY: Revelation 5:13 ... “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be UNTO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER AND EVER.” Therefore our fellowship right now should NOT be with a “trinity god”, it should be with God the Father and His Son: 1 John 1:3 ... “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: AND TRULY OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER, AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.” And because salvation is of God the Father and His Son, this is why Jesus confirmed that ETERNAL LIFE is based on KNOWING THEM BOTH: John 17:1-3 ... “FATHER ... this is life eternal, that they might know THEE THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, whom thou hast sent.” Are you being saved by the Father and His Son ? Or are you being deceived into worshipping a false god (the trinity) ? The world needs to turn from its “idols” and “serve the LIVING AND TRUE GOD [the Father] and “wait for HIS SON from heaven” (1 Thess.1:9-10). Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Jesus has a God JESUS HAS A GOD Jesus HAS a God, hence He is NOT the Supreme God. HIS FATHER IS. God the Father HAS NO GOD, He answers to NO ONE. He does as it pleases Him. Jesus has a God & answers to the Father. It pleases Him to do what pleases His God, the Father. [Bible texts below]. 1 Corinthians 3:23 (KJV) 23 And ye are Christ's; and CHRIST IS GOD'S. 1 Peter 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ： Ephesians 1:17 (KJV) 17 That THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Romans 15:6 (KJV) 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 2 Corinthians 11:31 (KJV) 31 THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. Colossians 1:3 (KJV) 3 We give thanks to GOD AND THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, praying always for you, Matthew 27:46 (KJV) 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, MY GOD, MY GOD, why hast thou forsaken me? John 20:17 (KJV) 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to MY GOD, and your God. Hebrews 1:8-9 (KJV) 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, EVEN THY GOD, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Revelation 1:6 (KJV) 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto GOD AND HIS FATHER; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 3:12 (KJV) 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of MY GOD and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of MY GOD, and the name of the city of MY GOD, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from MY GOD: and I will write upon him my new name. [Caps added for emphasis, however no content has been changed] Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

Back to Contents Previous Download 看中文 Next The Top Fifteen Excuses Used to Avoid the Sabbath(Part 1) It is absolutely incredible how many excuses are given by Christians who claim to truly love God come up with to justify why they do not need to obey one of the Ten Commandments that defines what sin is, and is a precious SIGN and blessing from God. As stated earlier, I have been given enough excuses to write an entire book. This is extremely dangerous and the many Christians who have deliberately sought out an excuse as to why they can disobey God are in for a very rude shock. Jesus says that to even those that do miracles in His name and call Him Lord but break any of the Commandments, He will say, “depart from me I never knew you.” Can you imagine the shock of so many Christians in the end that thought they could make excuses to disobey one of God’s Commandments and get away with it? The words of Jesus on fulfilling the law are all we need to know the Sabbath truth. Jesus said that not even a letter of the Ten Commandments will pass as long as heaven and earth are still here. On the words of Jesus alone it is Ten unchanged Commandments and it is just as serious to worship idols or murder as it is to not keep the Sabbath Holy. This is far too serious an issue not to fully investigate. It is one thing to be ignorant of the truth but to not want to investigate if you are ignorantly living in sin will still condemn you. We must have a love of the truth as Jesus is truth and the Word is truth. Jesus means what He says and says what He means and we are not free to manipulate the words of any of the Ten Commandments to suit ourselves and still enter the kingdom. The Sabbath Commandment says we have six days to do our work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord and we are to keep the Seventh day Holy. The other six days are secular and are not Holy and the Commandment is very clear that we cannot choose our own day. See also Exodus 16. Here are fifteen responses to the most popular excuses used that all contradict the words of Jesus. Select each link to find the real truth for each excuse or misunderstanding. -Should we keep Sunday in honour of the resurrection -Has the Calendar changed the Sabbath day -How do we know which day is the Sabbath -Can we keep any day as the Sabbath -What day is the Lord's Day -Was the Sabbath only for the Jews -The Sabbath was Made for Man -Were the Ten Commandments abolished -Is Jesus our Sabbath rest -Was the Sabbath abolished -We are not under Law but under Grace -Did Jesus break the Sabbath -Is the Sabbath in the New Covenant -How could the majority wrong about the Sabbath -Was the Sabbath changed to Sunday in the Bible and Sunday Keeping in Corinth Should we keep Sunday in honour of the resurrection? Jesus did rise on the first day of the week, but nowhere is there the slightest legitimate hint in the Bible for us to keep this day holy. See also the Sabbath to Sunday change or who changed the Sabbath to Sunday for the first day of the week misunderstandings. History confirms that some Christians around 90-120 A.D. changed to Sunday to avoid the intense persecution for Judaism using the resurrection as their excuse, and there are always those who will do their own thing contrary to God’s Word, but obviously it is not man’s prerogative to change God’s law for any reason. Jesus said, “…Full well you reject the Commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.” Mark 7:9 Many honourable events occurred on certain days of the week, but we have no command to keep them Holy. Jesus died for our sins on Friday. But not one Bible text hints that we should observe this day of such great significance that is probably the most significant event recorded in all history. It marks the moment our death sentence was commuted and our salvation assured. So how do we honour the crucifixion? Do we worship on Friday to honour the crucifixion? No! As long as you break the bread and drink the cup of communion you show the Lord’s death till He comes. Communion is what commemorates the crucifixion on Friday. It was a dramatic moment when Jesus rose from the grave on that Sunday morning, but again there is no biblical evidence whatsoever that we should observe it in honour of the resurrection. Not one instance of Sunday observance has been found in the recorded Scriptures. As with communion, honouring the resurrection should be done how God instructs us, not how man decides. This of course is done through Baptism which is a memorial of the resurrection commanded in the Bible, but it is not Sunday keeping. Paul wrote in Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Communion commemorates the Friday crucifixion and Baptism commemorates Christ’s death, burial and Sunday resurrection. Those who believe that Sunday observance honours His resurrection cite the upper room meeting of the disciples on the same day He arose from the grave. To them that gathering was to celebrate His resurrection. But when we read the Bible record of the event, we discover that the circumstances were quite different. Luke tells us that, even though the disciples were confronted with the eyewitness story of Mary Magdalene, they “believed not.” Mark 16:12-14 states, “After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” Obviously, none of those disciples believed He was raised, so they could not have been joyously celebrating His resurrection. John explains their reason for being together, “…the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews…” John 20:19. See also “Sunday Keeping in Corinth” and the erroneous Wednesday crucifixion theory pushed by some. Has the Calendar changed the Sabbath day? The calendar has been changed but it was never changed so as to affect the weekly cycle of days or confuse the days of the week. We can be one hundred percent positive that our seventh day is the same day Jesus observed when He was here. Pope Gregory XIII was responsible for a calendar change in 1582, but it did not interfere with the weekly cycle. Our present Gregorian calendar was named after him when he made that small change in 1582. What did Pope Gregory XIII do to the calendar? Before 1582 the Julian calendar had been in effect instituted by Julius Caesar about 46 B.C. and named after him. But the Julian calendar had calculated the length of the year as 365 1/4 days, which was incorrect as the length of a year was actually eleven minutes less than 365 1/4 days. Those eleven minutes accumulated, and by 1582 the numbering of the calendar was ten days out of harmony with the solar system. Pope Gregory fixed the problem by simply dropping those ten days out of the numbering of the calendar. It was Thursday, October 4, 1582, and the next day, Friday, should have been October 5. But Gregory made it October 15 instead, dropping exactly ten days to bring the calendar back into harmony with the heavenly bodies. Were the days of the week confused? No. Friday still followed Thursday, and Saturday still followed Friday etc. The same seventh day remained and the weekly cycle was not disturbed in the least. When we keep the seventh day on Saturday, we observe the same day Jesus kept, and Luke 4:16 tells us Jesus did this every week. The U.S. Naval Observatory has also reported that there has never been any change in the continuity of the weekly cycle. How do we know which day is the Sabbath? This is a fallacy that has comforted many in their disobedience to the fourth Commandment. Beside the fact that God would not allow the day to be lost, here are four other proofs that identify we still have the correct Sabbath day: 1. Many people today have never given much thought to which is the seventh day of the week. I assumed for many years that Sunday was the seventh day and Monday was the first day. You can imagine my surprise when I found out this was incorrect. An easy way to confirm this is to just look up Saturday in any normal dictionary. Here are two. Saturday n. the seventh day of the week; day after Friday; day of worship among Jews and some Christians. Saturday n. the seventh and last day of the week: the Sabbath. 2. The Scriptures say Christ died on Friday and rose on Sunday, the first day of the week. Practically all churches acknowledge this fact by observing Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Here is the Bible evidence: “This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.” Luke 23:52-54. This clearly shows Jesus died the day before the Sabbath. It was called “the preparation day” because it was the time to get ready (to prepare) for the Sabbath. Verses 55 and 56 go on to say, “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment.” Note that the women rested over the Sabbath “according to the Commandment” and that the book of Luke was written decades after the cross showing the Sabbath unquestionably remained unchanged. The Commandment says, “The seventh day is the Sabbath,” so we know they were observing Saturday. The very next verse says; “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared… And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.” Luke 24:1-2. How clearly these three consecutive days are described for us. He died Friday, the preparation day, commonly called Good Friday. He rested in the tomb on the seventh day, Sabbath, “according to the Commandment.” That was Saturday. Then on Sunday, the first day of the week, Easter Sunday to many, Jesus arose from the grave. Anyone who can locate Good Friday or Easter Sunday will have absolutely no difficulty finding the true Sabbath day. See also Wednesday crucifixion. 3. The third proof lies in the fact that in over 100 languages of the world, the seventh day Saturday is still called the Sabbath. In Italy it is called Sabbato, in Spain Sabado, in Portugal Sabbado, in Russia Subbota and Poland Sobota. All of these names mean “Sabbath” or “rest day” in their various languages. What does this prove? It proves that when those 100 languages originated at Babel in Genesis 11, Saturday was recognized as the Sabbath day and was incorporated into the very name of the day. Except for those languages that have adopted the pagan names for the days of the week, the seventh day is still called the Sabbath as the Lord named it at the time of creation. Strong’s dictionary shows the word translated “rest” in our English Bibles in Genesis 2:3, is actually “Sabbath” in the Hebrew. See who changed the Sabbath to Sunday or what day is the Sabbath for a table of languages. 4. Here is the most conclusive proof of all for the true Sabbath. The Jewish people have been observing the seventh day from the time of Abraham, and they still keep it today. Here is a whole nation, millions of individuals who have been counting off time meticulously, week after week, calendar or no calendar, for thousands of years. Could they have lost track of days? That would be impossible! The only way they could have lost a day would have been for the entire nation to have slept over an extra day and for no one ever to tell them about it afterwards. There is no scientific or astronomical reason for measuring time in cycles of seven days. The origin of the week is found in the creation story and it is an arbitrary arrangement of God and has been miraculously preserved for one reason, which is because the holy Sabbath day points to the creative power of the only true God. It is a sign of His sovereignty over the world and over human life, a sign of creation and redemption. Is this not the reason God will preserve Sabbath keeping throughout eternity? We read in Isaiah 66:22-23 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” The Sabbath is so precious to God that His true Children will observe it throughout all time to see in the beautiful new heavens and the new earth. If the Sabbath is so precious to God then why isn’t it precious to us? If it was made and kept since creation and we keep it for all eternity, then why isn’t everyone keeping it now? Can we keep any day as the Sabbath? By this argument Satan prepared the world to accept a substitute in place of the Sabbath which God had specifically commanded. Upon the tables of stone God wrote the great unchanging law of the ages with His own finger. Every word was serious and meaningful. Not one line was ambiguous or mysterious. Sinners and Christians, educated and uneducated, have no problem understanding the simple, clear words of the Ten Commandments. So does God mean what he says or not? God does mean what He says and He says what He means. He said unmistakably to keep the seventh day, not any day in seven. No one has tried to void that law as too complicated to comprehend. Some say they keep the Sabbath every day of the week. Is this what God said to do? My Bible says “Six days you shall work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord.” Can we just respond to God by saying, “You got it wrong God, the Seventh day is not your Sabbath we can just keep any or every day.” Isn’t that dangerous to mock God and His Commandment like that? God desires us to worship Him every day, doing everything at all times to His glory, however, as to a Holy day of worship, God has commanded only one and has set apart no other day. We worship God seven days a week but if we kept the Sabbath seven days a week, we would not be Holy, we would be lazy. Most of the big Ten begin with the same words: “Thou shalt not,” but right in the heart of the law we find the fourth Commandment which is introduced with the word, “Remember.” Why is this one different? Because God was commanding them to call something to memory which already existed but had been forgotten. Genesis describes the origin of the Sabbath in these words, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made...And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3. Which day did God bless and sanctify? The seventh day. How was it to be kept holy? By resting. Could any of the other six be kept holy? No. Why? Because God commanded not to rest those days but to work. In Leviticus 10, Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron were supposed to bring Holy fire from the alter but instead brought, as the Bible phrases it, strange fire. Did the Holy fire and the secular fire look the same? Yes. Were they chemically the same? Yes. Was God happy with the secular fire instead of Holy fire? Leviticus 10:2 says, “And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” God was definitely not happy with their strange fire. So how does God feel when we offer Him a secular day instead of His Holy day? How does God feel when we offer a day used for sun worship (Sunday) that God detested? Does God’s blessing have any value or is it worthless? Why do parents pray for God to bless their children? The seventh day is different from the other six because it has God’s blessing and is Holy. Why did God make this day Holy? He made this day Holy because He is Holy and it is for intimate Holy time with Him. Ever heard the expression you can’t change it because it’s written in stone? It is very relevant that the Commandments were written in stone by God’s finger. When God puts it on stone like this it’s solid, it’s eternal and it’s immovable and you can’t change it. God gave many other Laws to Moses at Mt Sinai but they were not written in stone and most of those were nailed to the cross. The Ten Commandments were the only thing God wrote in stone. Why did God bless the day? Because He had created the world in six days. It was the birthday of the world, a memorial of the mighty act of creation. It is the test Commandment of our love and obedience to God while also celebrating creation and reminding us He can and will do it again. Can the Sabbath memorial be changed? Never. It points backward to an accomplished fact. July 4 is Independence Day. Can it be changed? It can’t change anymore than your birthday. It is a memorial of your birth, which happened on a set day. History would have to run through again to change your birthday, or Independence Day, or to change the Sabbath day. We can call another day Independence Day, and we can call another day the Sabbath, but that will never make it so. It is the day that it is. Did God ever give man the privilege of choosing his own day of rest? He did not. In fact, God confirmed in the Bible that the Sabbath was settled and sealed by His own divine selection and should not be tampered with. Read Exodus 16 concerning the giving of manna. For 40 years God worked three miracles every week to show Israel which day was holy. (1.) No manna fell on the seventh day. (2.) They could not keep it overnight without spoilage (3.) But when they kept it over the Sabbath, it remained sweet and fresh. But some Israelites had the same idea as many modern Christians. They felt that any day in seven would be all right to keep holy: “And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my Commandments and my laws?” Exodus 16:27-28. Sadly, these people thought another day could be kept just as well as the seventh day. Perhaps they were planning to observe the first day of the week, or some other day which was more convenient for them. This seems to be the plan for many Christians today. So how did God respond to these non-Jews? God accused them of breaking all His Commandments and laws. Would God say the same thing to those who break the Sabbath today? Of course! He is the same yesterday, today and forever, He changes not. God made it clear that, regardless of our feelings, those who work on the Sabbath are breaking His Commandments. James explains that breaking even one Commandment is sin and is to break all of them just as God demonstrated in Exodus 16: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” James 2:10-11. What day is the Lord’s Day? The Bible uses the phrase the “Lord’s day” only once in Revelation 1:10, so we know the Lord does have a special day. But there is not one single verse in the whole Bible that refers to Sunday as the “Lord’s Day.” However, the Bible does plainly identify the Sabbath as the Lord’s Day. The only day ever blessed by the Lord or claimed by Him as His holy day is the Seventh day Sabbath. Matthew 12:8 “For the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Jesus did not say I AM the Sabbath, or I am LORD Sabbath! Jesus said, “I am Lord OF the Sabbath!” It was Jesus who made the Sabbath at creation and is the reason for His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath day. (Mark 2:28) If Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath day, then the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day. The vision John had on “the Lord’s day” according to Revelation 1:10 had to be the Sabbath. It is the only day so designated and claimed by God in the Bible. In writing the Ten Commandments, God called it “the Sabbath of the Lord.” Lucium who was an early church historian wrote, “In the year 325, Sylvester, Bishop of Rome (AD 314-337), officially changed the title of the first day, calling it the Lord’s day.” (Lucium, Historia Ecclesiastica, p. 739) One would ask why Sylvester would make any claim about changing the title of the first day if the term “Lord’s day” was already widespread before his edict. It was in fact early in fourth century when Sunday was officially named the “Lord’s Day” which was about 200 years after some of the so called early Church fathers in Alexandria and Rome first changed to Sunday in fear of persecution and against God's will. Note carefully the following Catholic quote: “St John speaks of the Lord’s day (Rev 1:10) but he does not tell us what day of the week that was, much less does he tell us what day was to take the place of the Sabbath ordained in the commandments. St. Luke speaks of the disciples meeting together to break bread on the first day of the week. Acts 20:7. And St. Paul (1 Cor 16:2) orders that on the first day of the week the Corinthians should lay in store what they designated to bestow in charity on the faithful in Judea: but neither the one or the other tells us that this first day of the week was to be henceforth a day of worship, and the Christian Sabbath; so that truly the best authority we have for this ancient custom is the testimony of the church. And therefore those who pretend to be such religious observers of Sunday, whilst they take no notice of other festivals ordained by the same church authority, show that they act more by humor, than by religion; since Sundays and holidays all stand upon the same foundation, namely the ordinance of the (Roman Catholic) church.” — Catholic Christian Instructed, 17th edition, p. 272-273. Was the Sabbath only for the Jews? This falsehood has gained such strength that multitudes of Christians refer to it as the “Jewish Sabbath.” But nowhere do we find such an expression in the Bible. It is called “the Sabbath of the Lord,” (Exodus 20:10) but never “the Sabbath of the Jews.” Luke was a Gentile writer of the New Testament and often made reference to things which were peculiarly Jewish. He spoke of the “nation of the Jews,” “the people of the Jews,” “the land of the Jews,” and the “synagogue of the Jews.” Acts 10:22, 12:11, 10:39 and 14:1. But please take note that Luke never referred to the “Sabbath of the Jews” or the “Jewish Sabbath” and we do find that he mentioned the Sabbath repeatedly. Christ unmistakably taught that “the Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2:27. It does not say the Sabbath was made for Jews. Some say since it was made for man we can choose not to keep it. The fact is that all the Commandments were made for man. So does this mean we can choose to ignore all of them? Of course not! Man was made on the sixth day and the only reason that we have a seventh day is because God added it for a Sabbath rest for man. It was made for man at creation so what has changed? Nothing! The Pharisees thought the Sabbath was made just for them so Jesus was correcting them and said the Sabbath was made to be a blessing for ALL man and not a day of legalistic rules that they had turned it into. Picking corn on the Sabbath for a meal was a necessity and not unlawful. The fact is that Adam was the only man in existence at the time God made the Sabbath. There were no Jews in the world for at least 2,000 years after creation. It could never have been made for them. Jesus used the term “man” in the generic sense, referring to mankind. The same word is used in connection with the institution of marriage which was also introduced at creation. Woman was made for man just as the Sabbath was made for man. Certainly no one believes that marriage was made only for the Jews. The fact is that two beautiful, original institutions were set up by God Himself before sin ever came into the world; marriage and the Sabbath. Both were made for man, both received the special blessing of the Creator and both continue to be just as holy now as when they were sanctified in the Garden of Eden. Note that the “children of Israel” God was angry with for not keeping the Sabbath in Exodus 16:25-30 were not Jews either. They were Abraham’s seed just as we are. Galatians 3:29, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” We are in fact spiritual Jews! See also Romans 2:28-29. Jesus was the One who made the Sabbath in the first week of time. There was a reason for His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath day (Mark 2:28). If He is the Lord of the Sabbath day, then the Sabbath must be the Lord’s Day. John had a vision on “the Lord’s day,” according to Revelation 1:10. That day had to be the Sabbath. It is the only day so designated and claimed by God in the Bible. In writing the Ten Commandments, God called it “the Sabbath of the Lord.” Exodus 20:10. Adam and Eve were not Jewish. “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.” Genesis 2:3. Sanctified means “to be set apart for holy use.” This was pre-sin and the only ones in Eden to “Sanctify” the Sabbath were Adam and Eve. The other Nine are not “Just for the Jews.” Does idolatry, murder, stealing and adultery apply only to Jews? The Sabbath is also for the “stranger” who are Gentiles. Exodus 20:10. In “the new earth ... from one Sabbath to another, shall ALL FLESH come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 66:22-23. Grace saved Gentiles kept the Sabbath. “The Gentiles besought that these words be preached to them the next Sabbath ... Paul and Barnabas ... persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.” Acts 13:42-43. Luke was a Gentile who kept the Sabbath. Luke was the only Gentile writer in the New Testament. He travelled with Paul and wrote, “On the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side.” Acts 16:13. It was the Creation Sabbath. Both Luke and Paul knew it. See also who changed the Sabbath to Sunday or is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday for further proof that it predates Judaism. This argument has also led many to believe the Sabbath existed only for a limited period of time following creation. But is this a fact? Actually, the Sabbath could never be just a type or shadow of anything, for the simple reason that it was made before sin entered the human family. Certain shadows and typical observances (ordinances) were instituted as a result of sin and pointed forward to the deliverance from sin. Such were the sacrifices employed to symbolize the death of Jesus, the Lamb of God. There would have been no animal sacrifices had there been no sin. These offerings were abolished when Christ died on the cross, because the types had met their fulfilment (Matthew 27:51). But no shadow existed before sin entered this world; therefore, the Sabbath could not be included in the ceremonial law of types and shadows. The ceremonial laws were temporary but all of God’s moral law is eternal as it mirrors His loving, unchanging Holy character. He is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8. Paul referred to the temporary system of ordinances in Colossians 2:14-16 as being “against us” and “contrary to us.” He tied it to the meat offerings, drink offerings and yearly festivals of the law that were “blotted out.” It is true he referred to sabbaths also in the text, but take careful note that he called them “sabbath days (note also the original Greek here is plural) which are a shadow of things to come.” Were some sabbath days blotted out at the cross? Yes, there were at least seven yearly sabbaths which came on certain set days of the month, and they were nailed to the cross. They were shadows and required specified meat and drink offerings. All of these annual sabbaths are described in Leviticus 23:24-36, and then summarized in verses 37 and 38: “These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: beside the Sabbaths of the Lord...” The Scripture differentiates between the annual, shadowy sabbaths and the weekly “Sabbaths of the Lord.” The ceremonial sabbaths were only for the Jews and were blotted out at the cross as they had been added as a consequence of sin. But the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments was hallowed before sin and Jews and later incorporated into the moral law written by the finger of God. It was eternal in its very nature as love is everlasting. The Sabbath was made for man Christ taught that “the Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2:27. Some seem to think that since Jesus said this that we can choose not to keep it or choose our own day. But this is just another excuse for treading the Son of God underfoot. (Hebrews 10:26-29) Note also that Jesus did not say the Sabbath was made for “Jews.” He said the Sabbath was made for “man” meaning all people! The People's New Testament (1891) by B. W. Johnson “The Sabbath was made for man. The Sabbath rest; that is, a rest of one day in seven was made for man, not for Jews only. This implies that it is to be a universal institution; that the good of man requires it, and that it is not an arbitrary enactment, but a wise and benevolent provision for the welfare of the race. Experience shows that men are happiest, most moral, most prosperous and healthiest where it is devoutly observed.” Man was made on the sixth day and the only reason we have a seventh day of the week is because God added it for a Sabbath rest for man. Hence the Sabbath was made for man at creation so what has changed? Absolutely nothing! The fact is that all the Commandments were made for man. So does this mean we can choose to ignore all of the other Commandments as well? Obviously not! So what was happening when Jesus said this? The Pharisees assumed the Sabbath was made just for them so Jesus corrected them stating that the Sabbath was made to be a blessing for ALL man and not a day of legalistic rules that they had enforced. They had accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath by picking corn for sustenance and so Jesus pointed out that the Sabbath was made to be a blessing to man and not a burden. This statement of Jesus in Mark 2:27 is not some magical subclause that annuls the fourth Commandment! Picking corn on the Sabbath for nourishment was a necessity. It was not wrong for Jesus to heal the sick and to meet human needs on His Holy Day. (Matthew 12:10-12) Jesus said that not even a comma of the law is going to change (Matthew 5:17-19) and Isaiah prophesied “The LORD … will MAGNIFY the law…” (Isaiah 42:21) not make the law less strict by allowing us to pick and choose if we want to obey a Commandment or not. God Commanded, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy ... the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Exodus 20:8-10. Were the Ten Commandments abolished? It grieves me to say that it is commonly taught, without any scriptural authority, that the Ten Commandments were abolished at the cross. Proponents of this belief never stop to realize that, if there is no law, there is no transgression as Paul plainly states in Romans 4:15. This would mean that no one has sinned since Christ’s death, and therefore, we would have no need for a Saviour! God’s law is a gift to mankind, yet humanity thanklessly rejects it. As good and glorious as this law is, human nature is hostile to it. (Romans 8:7) Selfishly, it wants to have everything which God’s way of life brings but it rebelliously resents travelling the road God demands one should take to obtain His blessings. Paul writes in Romans 7:12 that “…the law is holy, and the Commandment holy and just and good.” Notice how God’s moral law (The Ten Commandments) is a reflection of God’s most beautiful and Holy character. To declare that the God’s moral law is no longer relevant is an insult and attack on God, His Holy character and love. See more detailed chart on the Ten Commandments Compared to God's Character. God’s Law equals God’s Character » Romans 16:26: God is Eternal » Psalm 111:7-8: The law is Eternal » Luke 18:19: God is Good » Romans 7:12: The law is Good » John 4:24: God is Spiritual » Romans 7:14: The law is Spiritual » Deuteronomy 32:4: God is Just » Romans 7:12: The law is Just » Psalm 145:17: God is Righteous » Psalm 119:172: The law is Righteous » 1 John 3:3: God is Pure » Psalms 19:8: The law is Pure » Matthew 5:48: God is Perfect » Psalm 19:7: The law is Perfect » I John 4:8: God is Love » Romans 13:10: The law is Love » I John 1:5: God is Light » Proverbs 6:23: The law is Light » Psalms 48:1: God is Great » Hosea 8:12: The law is Great » Deuteronomy 32:4: God is Truth » Psalm 119:142: The law is Truth » Isaiah 5:16: God is Holy » Romans 7:12: The law is Holy When God led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, He delivered to them in fiery majesty the Ten Commandments. This holy law was spoken by God, written by God, recorded on tables of stone, and is of eternal duration. At the same time another law, of temporary usage, was also delivered to the children of Israel. This law dealt with the ceremonial rites of the Jewish sanctuary service, and concerned itself with a system of religion that passed away at the cross. Large sections of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy describe in detail this temporary ceremonial code. This Law can easily be identified in the Scriptures. It talks about circumcision (a religious Jewish rite), sacrifices, offerings, purifications, ceremonial holy days, and other rites associated with the Hebrew sanctuary service. Let the Bible explain itself and clarify the differences between these two laws. See a more detailed chart on the Ten Commandments and the Ceremonial Law. The Moral Law (The Ten Commandments) The Ceremonial Law (A temporary Jewish law) 1. Spoken personally by God. Exodus 20:1-22 1. Spoken by Moses. Exodus 24:3 2. Written by God's finger. Exodus 31:18 Exodus 32:16 2. Written by Moses hand. Exodus 24:4 Deuteronomy 31:9 3. Written on stones. Exodus 31:18 3. Written in a book. Exodus 24:3, 7 Deuteronomy 31:24 4. Handed by God its writer to Moses.Exodus 31:18 4. Handed by Moses its writer to Levites. Deuteronomy 31:25-26 5. Deposited by Moses "in the ark." Deuteronomy 10:5 5. Deposited by the Levites by the side of the ark. Deuteronomy 31:26 ARV 6. Deals with moral precepts. Exodus 20:3-17. 6. Deals with ceremonial ritual matters. (See Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy) 7. Reveals sin. Romans 7:7 7. Prescribes offerings for sins. (See Leviticus) 8. Breaking of the law is sin. 1 John 3:4 8. No sin in breaking, for now "abolished." Ephesians 2:15. (Where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15) 9. Should "keep the whole law." James 2:10 9. Apostles gave no such commandment to "keep the law." Acts 15:24 10. Because we "shall be judged" by this law. James 2:12 10. Not to be judged by it. Colossians 2:16. See also what is the law in Galatians. 11. The Christian who keeps this law is "blessed in his deed." James 1:25 11. The Christian who keeps this law is not blessed. (See for example, Galatians 5:1-6) 12. "The perfect law of liberty." James 1:25 (Cf. James 2:12) 12. The Christian who keeps this law loses his liberty. Galatians 5:1, 3 13. Paul said, "I delight in the law of God." Romans 7:22 (Cf. verse 7) 13. Paul called this law a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1; 4:3, 9 (See Acts 15:10) 14. Established by faith in Christ. Romans 3:31 14. Abolished by Christ. Ephesians 2:15 15. Christ was to "magnify the law and make it honorable." Isaiah 42:21 15. Blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. Colossians 2:14 To the unbiased reader of God’s Word, it becomes more than clear that the Ten Commandments are binding upon all men for all time in every place, whereas no man is bound to keep the Ceremonial Law, often referred to as the ordinances that were fulfilled in Christ. The Ceremonial Law with its sacrificial system pointed the people to the coming of Christ. Every time the blood of a beast was shed in the old Jewish temple, it was a dramatic reminder to the onlooker that One would come and die for his sin. Hence, John the Baptist pointed to our Lord and declared the significant words, “Behold the Lamb of God.” When He died on Calvary’s cross the veil of the great temple curtain was torn from top to bottom, to signify that the entire ceremonial system was forever finished. Matthew 27:50-51. No longer do the priests need offer up sacrifices. The One great and perfect Sacrifice was offered that Friday afternoon, when the true Passover Lamb bowed His head and died. When He cried out, “It is finished”, the old Ceremonial Law that pointed the people to His sacrificial death was nailed to the cross. But NOT so with the Ten Commandments. There was nothing temporary about them. They are to last as long as heaven and earth. Matthew 5:17-19 This is how Matthew 5:17-19 reads, “Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law until all is fulfilled. Therefore whoever shall relax one of these Commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least [by those] in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus certainly did not have any intentions of making any change; in fact, Jesus condemned men who taught that it was acceptable to break God’s law, and commended those who taught the necessity of keeping it. This one passage alone is the absolute proof that the Sabbath was not abolished or the day changed and everything else has to be misunderstandings or intentional excuses to justify why we don’t need to obey one of God’s Commandments. Jesus said, “…Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law…” This is what The People’s New Testament (1891) by B. W. Johnson comments in regards to the meaning of a “Jot” or “Tittle.” One jot or tittle. Jot means the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, while tittle refers to a simple turn by which one letter is distinguished from another. The expression, “jot or tittle,” was proverbial for the smallest part. Some say, “To fulfil the law is to bring an end to the Ten Commandments and abolish them.” There is overwhelming evidence that proves this is absolute nonsense, such as this passage would contain more contradictions than we could count. If fulfilling the law ends the law then the law is destroyed, yet Jesus declares in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the law. Not only did Jesus not come to destroy the law but He actually came to magnify it. We should not be strangers to this fact as we are given a Messianic prophecy that tells us that Christ would in fact do exactly this. Isaiah 42:21, “The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will Magnify the law, and make it HONOURABLE.” In the remainder of Matthew chapter 5 we see how Jesus has without a doubt magnified the law. We note the following; Matthew 5:19 from not only obeying the law but teaching it also, 5:21-22 from do not kill to not being angry with your brother without cause, 5:27-28 from do not commit adultery to being guilty of adultery if you look at a woman lustfully, 5:31 from divorcing by a letter to any man who divorces his wife except for sexual immorality, causes her or anyone who marries the divorced woman to commit adultery, 5:33-37 from not breaking oaths made to the Lord to do not swear at all, either by heaven or earth or by Jerusalem. And do not swear by your head, let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No, 5:38-42 from an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth to turning the other cheek and if someone sues you for your coat, give them your cloak also, 5:43-45 from love your neighbour and hate your enemy to love your enemies and bless them that curse you and pray for those that are spiteful and use you. Does this give the impression that Jesus came to destroy the law or that fulfilling the law ends it? What truth seeker could possibly come to that conclusion after reading this passage? If this was so, then all the following things have also ended. Clearly this is NOT possible! These scriptures also use the same Greek word G4137 used in verse 17. Matthew 3:15 “…it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” John 17:13 “…that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11 “…and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.” Philippians 2:2 “Fulfil you my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love…” John 17:12 “…that the scripture might be fulfilled.” Colossians 1:25 “…which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God.” 2 Corinthians 10:6 “…having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Thayer definition for G4137: 1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full. 2) to render full, i.e. to complete. 2a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim. 2b) to consummate: a number. 2b1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect. 2b2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking). 2c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise. 2c1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute. 2c2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish. 2c3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment. The most relevant part for the word “fulfil” in Matthew 5:17 in the Thayer dictionary is “2C3.” Jesus did not come to destroy the law; He obeyed and carried out the law to the full and magnified it! Jesus never contradicts Himself. If this word “fulfil” meant destroy, Jesus would be saying “I did not come to destroy the law I came to destroy the law!” So is the law only for the Jews? Does it apply to New Covenant Christians? Notice Acts 7:38-39 five chapters after the start of the New Testament church. This is Moses who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. Speaking to the Jews, Stephen, a converted Christian, says that God gave these “living oracles...to us,” Christian and Jew. They are still in effect today as a complete spiritual law, and we Christians and or Jews do not have the authority to choose which ones we want to obey. This event on Mount Sinai was the basis for making the Old Covenant, but what is the basis of the New Covenant? “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Hebrews 8:10 (quoting Jeremiah 31:33). From all the above proofs, two points are clear. 1. God’s Ten Commandments (not the Nine Commandments and one suggestion) is not a temporary law designed to end or become obsolete at the cross or any other time. God’s moral law can no more change than God’s character can. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8. 2. His law is not a special law for one nation only. God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Romans 1:16). Neither Gentiles nor Christians are excluded from the laws of God. (e.g., Exodus 12:38, 48-49; Isaiah 56:1-3, 6-7) Is Jesus our Sabbath rest ending the Sabbath? Jesus cannot give us physical rest. We get this rest by keeping the Sabbath as God Commanded, not how we decide is acceptable. The proponents typically use the passage below but usually stop before verse nine. If they don’t, then they certainly never give you the honest meaning, if any, of the word translated “rest” in the KJV Bible. Hebrews 4:1-5 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.” Below is the remainder of this passage. Hebrews 4:6-9 “Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a [Sabbath] rest to the people of God.” The word “rest” in Hebrews 4:9 is the Greek word “sabbatismos.” The King James and New King James Version and a few other Bibles render the word as “rest” while the Amplified Bible the ASV, NASB, NIV, RSV and NRSV and several other translations somewhat more correctly render that word as “Sabbath rest.” A few Bibles such as the Darby translation transliterate the word as “Sabbatism.” Its literal translation however, is “Sabbath observance” and “The Scriptures” translated by The Institute for Scripture Research render it as such while the Thayer dictionary and the Bible in Basic English give the equally literal phrase “Sabbath keeping.” See also “the Sabbath from creation to eternity.” Speaking of the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. which was nearly forty years after the cross, Jesus says pray that you do not have to flee persecution on the Sabbath day. (Matthew 24:20) Why would you need to worry about physically fleeing on the Sabbath if it was just resting in Jesus? See Sabbath in the New Testament or Ten Commandments and the Sabbath in the New Testament for more. The following facts prove the Sabbath does remain a physically rest and that the excuse Jesus is our Sabbath rest is just one more fallacy from our adversary. 1. The Greek word for “rest” (sabbatismos) in Hebrews 4:9 unquestionably refers to a physical rest and a literal “Sabbath keeping” or “Sabbath observance.” 2. It was more than 30 years after the cross that Luke wrote that when the body of Christ was being prepared, “they rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment.” (Luke 23:56) The New Covenant was sealed by the blood of Jesus on Friday night when He died on the cross, and yet Luke says they were still physically keeping the Sabbath according to the Commandment and after the New Covenant had begun. Any lawyer and the Word will tell you that it cannot be changed after the death of a testator. This one alone kills this appalling excuse! 3. Isaiah 66:22-23 says we still physically keep the Sabbath in the New Heaven and Earth. 4. Jesus words show that everyone would still be physically keeping the Sabbath at 70 A.D. (Matthew 24:20) 5. The Sabbath cannot be a spiritual rest if one had to worry about physically fleeing on this day. 6. Our Creator knew man needs a physical rest at least one day a week and Jesus as our Lord does not change that requirement. 7. God and His law changes not. Hebrews 13:8, Psalms 111:7-8, Luke 16:17. Previous Back to Contents Next Top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 基督是不是上帝 (四部份) 基督是不是上帝？（一） 1. 基督是不是父上帝？ 耶稣说过80多次祂不是父上帝。耶稣与父虽然保持着意志上的合一，但祂们明显是两个分开不同的生物，我们之前也看过了这一点。父在超过一次的场合上从天上对耶稣说话。（马太福音3:17）“从天上有声音说：这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。” 要么耶稣与父是两个不同的生物，要么耶稣是一个专业的腹语术表演者。 给复临信徒参考： “基督本体的神性没有变为人性，而人子的人性也没有变成神性，而两者是在人类的救主身上神秘地混合在一起的。祂不是父，但神本性一切的丰盛都有形有体的居住在祂里面。” （怀爱伦著，《信函8a》1890年7月7日） “人子耶稣基督不是主神全能者，然而基督与父原为一。” （怀爱伦著，《文稿140号》1903年） “基督与祂门徒之间所存在的合一没有毁灭他们双方的位格。他们在意志、思想、品格上合而为一，但在本体位格上他们是分开的。上帝与基督也是这样合而为一的。” （怀爱伦著，《教会证言卷八》原文第269页第4段，1904年） 2. 耶稣是不是永在的父？ “因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在他的肩头上，他名称为奇妙，策士，全能的神，永在的父，和平的君。”（以赛亚书 9:6） 答案在于希伯来文本的正确翻译。巴恩斯（Albert Barnes）的《圣经注释》（Notes on the Bible ）解释说：“《迦勒底文本圣经》（The Chaldee）把这词翻译成‘永存者’。《通俗拉丁文本圣经》（The Vulgate）译成‘未来岁月之父’。《洛斯版本圣经》（Lowth）则译成‘永恒岁月之父’。在其字面意义上，就是指永恒之父。” 所以在希伯来文本当中，这词句按照字面解读就是“永恒之父”，而不是“永在的父”。故此，以赛亚书9:6并不是表达基督是父上帝，而是表达祂是将来永恒岁月之父。《杨氏直译本》（Young's Literal Translation）和《达秘译本》（Darby Bible）是少数把这词翻译得正确无误的两本译本。 “因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，君权必担在他的肩头上，祂称他名为奇妙，策士，全能的神，永恒之父，和平之君。”（以赛亚书 9:6 《杨氏直译本》） “因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在他的肩头上，他名称为奇妙，策士，全能的神，永恒之父，和平之君。”（以赛亚书 9:6 《达秘译本》） 耶稣创造了万物，而同样的，祂也是受造物之父（来1:2；约1: 3 ；西1:16, 17）。还有意思的是，耶稣和使徒们所引用的希腊文《七十士译本》（Septuagint）并不含这个词语。那么这个大多数译本都错误翻译的词语到底是怎样进入希伯来文圣经的呢？ 《七十士译本》的以赛亚书9:6是这样翻译的：“因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在他的肩头上，他名称为伟大策士的使者，因我必给众君王带来和平，并给他健康。” 耶稣所引用的旧约希腊文《七十士译本》透露了以赛亚书9:6原本最有可能的说法。它是由70至72位犹太学者于公元前300至200年间翻译的，所以它是取自最古老及最可靠的手抄本。然而，希伯来文的旧约圣经是由一批马所拉学士于公元第6世纪编制的。公认的事实是，在第六和第七世纪间，很多文本变体和添加悄悄然地进入了希伯来文本之中。那么以赛亚9:6这句添加的文本是从哪里来的，而且还被大多现代学者错误翻译呢？ 有一件事无人能否认的是，只有其中一个翻译本是正确的。但是哪一个呢？是从最古老的手抄本翻译的《七十士译本》呢，还是那些于第六和第七世纪之间出现变体的后期版本呢？ 3. 我与父原为一？ 在约翰福音10:30中，基督宣告说：“我与父原为一。” 这一节经文应该是当今最被三位一体论信徒误用误解的经文了。许多人结论说，这意味着耶稣和父是同一位生物，正如三位一体论的解说。然而这一节不应该被误解，因为耶稣在约翰福音中稍后解释了祂这句话的具体意思。所以这是一个典型的例子，显示这么多三位一体论信徒如何已经被满脑子灌入了先入为主的观念。 对于神性生物的数目所产生的混淆，一部分是来自人们对“一”字的误解。简单来说，《圣经》所说的“一”不一定代表数量。《圣经》经常用“一”字来代表团结合一。 我们看到这个原则在《圣经》中很早就已经立定了。创世记2:24 “因此，人要离开父母，与妻子连合，二人成为一体。” 这里的“一体”不代表两个人结婚后就融化成为一个人的意思，而是说两人结合成为一家人。罗马书12:5 “我们这许多人，在基督里成为一身，互相联络作肢体，也是如此。” 那么这是否把我们大家都变成单一的基督徒呢？如果你按照三位一体论的方程式的话，答案就必须是肯定的！ 犹太领袖听了耶稣在约翰福音10:30这一番话，就勃然大怒，于是想办法处死祂，因为他们认为耶稣自称自己与上帝同等。约翰福音10:33： “犹太人回答说：我们不是为善事拿石头打你，是为你说僭妄的话，又为你是个人，反将自己当作神。” 再过三节我们看到耶稣澄清祂这话的意思，自称是上帝的儿子。约翰福音10:36 ：“父所分别为圣，又差到世间来的，他自称是上帝的儿子，你们还向他说：你说僭妄的话吗？” 所以耶稣没有说祂与圣父是同一位，因为圣父跟圣子是不同的一位，圣子跟圣父也是不同的一位。根据《约翰•吉尔圣经注释》对约翰福音10:30的解释，另一个显示耶稣与圣父不是同一位的证据是，这一节中的动词是复数的，因此应该翻译成“我与父，我们原为一。” 无论如何，我们不需要猜测耶稣所说祂与祂父原为一的意思，因为稍后在约翰福音里基督自己的话显示了祂话中的确切含意。基督的意思是合一，因为祂祷告祈求，叫祂门徒也能合一，如同祂与祂父合一一样。这个祷告不是叫12个门徒变成一个12头的门徒，而是叫12个门徒在合一中同心协力的合作同工。 约翰福音17:22 “你所赐给我的荣耀，我已赐给他们，使他们合而为一，像我们合而为一。” 约翰福音17:11 “圣父阿，求你因你所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一像我们一样。” 约翰福音14:11也是经常被错误引用来指圣父和圣子是同一位上帝。在这里，耶稣说：“我在父里面，父在我里面。” 按照这种误解的逻辑，不知道这些人要怎样解释我们也在祂里面，而祂也在我们里面这句话。约翰福音14:20 “到那日你们就知道我在父里面，你们在我里面，我也在你们里面。” 约翰福音17:21 “使他们都合而为一，正如你父在我里面，我在你里面，使他们也在我们里面...。” 既然三位一体论教导说有三位全方位同等的生物，那么按照这个说法，约翰福音10:30应该是这样写的：“我与父与圣灵原为一。” 但事实并不是这样的。的确有三个实体，但只有两个生物。 给复临信徒参考： “基督本体里的神性没有变为人性，而人子的人性也没有变成神性，而两者是在人类的救主身上神秘地混合在一起的。祂不是圣父，但神本性一切的丰盛都有形有体的居住在祂里面。” （怀爱伦著，《信函8a》1890年7月7日） “人子耶稣基督不是主神全能者，不过基督与圣父原为一。” （怀爱伦著，《文稿140号》1903年） “基督与祂门徒之间所存在的合一并不毁灭他们双方的位格。他们在意志、思想、品格上合而为一，但在本体位格上他们是分开的。上帝与基督也是这样合而为一的。” （怀爱伦著，《教会证言卷八》原文第269页第4段，1904年版） “基督祷告叫祂的门徒都能合而为一，像祂与父合而为一一样。” （怀爱伦著，《评阅宣报》，1888年5月29日） 4. 人看见了我就是看见了父 在约翰福音14:9中，耶稣说：“人看见了我，就是看见了父。” 基督是不是说祂自己就是父，或者说祂是祂父“本体的真像”，从而有同样的本性、特性和荣耀呢？换句话说，人看见了一个，就等于看见了另一个。下面我们来看两位学者的评论。 《约翰•吉尔圣经全释》对约翰福音14:9的解释是： “人看见了我，不是用肉眼来看，而是用慧眼来看，人看见了我里面的神性完美，就是看见了父，在祂里面的完美。因为在我里面的，也同样在祂里面，而在祂里面的，也同样在我里面。我是祂的真形像，我有和祂同样的本性、特性和荣耀，以至人看见了一个，就是看见了另一个。” 基督是祂父的真像。哥林多后书4:4 “此等不信之人，被这世界的神弄瞎了心眼，不叫基督荣耀福音的光照着他们，基督本是上帝的像。” 《巴恩斯圣经注释》对哥林多后书4:4的解释是：“谁是上帝的像？基督被称为上帝的像： （1）是基于祂的神性，祂在祂的神性特性和完美上与上帝一模一样。参阅西1:15和来1:3。 （2）是在祂身为中保的道德特性上，祂向人展现出圣父的荣耀。祂像上帝。在祂里面，我们看见了祂所体现和发出的神性荣耀和完美。 由于祂在各方面都像上帝，所以祂被称为上帝的像。通过祂，神性一切的完美得以向人彰显。撒但最讨厌最憎恨的，就是基督作为上帝的像，祂的荣耀照在人身上，并充满他们的心。撒但恨这个像，他恨人们变得像上帝，他恨一切与伟大荣耀的耶和华相似的人物。” 歌罗西书1:15 “爱子是那不能看见之上帝的像，是首生的，在一切被造的以先。” 希伯来书1:3 “他是上帝荣耀所发的光辉，是上帝本体的真像，常用他权能的命令托住万有，他洗净了人的罪，就坐在高天至大者的右边。” 儿子或多或少是他父亲的复制品。他在某种程度上有他父亲的特征和个人品质，当然不是完全一模一样，因为在人类当中是没有十全十美的复制的。但在上帝或祂的任何创造当中是没有不完全的，所以基督是父本体的“真像”。 由此可见，耶稣的意思是，祂是祂父的真像，并有同样的本性、特性和荣耀。基督的话不可能意味着祂就是父，因为《圣经》告诉我们，约翰一书4:12说： “从来没有人见过上帝，我们若彼此相爱，上帝就住在我们里面，爱他的心在我们里面得以完全了。” 只有基督才看见过独一真神父上帝。约翰福音6:46 “这不是说：有人看见过父，惟独从上帝来的［耶稣］，他看见过父。” 给复临信徒参考： “基督明显地烙印在门徒的脑海中这个事实，他们只能凭信心看见父上帝。没有人能看见上帝的外形。唯独基督能向人类彰显父上帝。［引用约14:9］” （怀爱伦著，《评阅宣报》，1897年10月19日） 根据三位一体论的教导，这一节应该是这样写的：“人看见了我，就是看见了父和圣灵。” 但是事实并非如此。神里面虽然有三个实体，但只有两个是生物。第三个是他们的灵。 5. 多马是否相信耶稣是圣父 约翰福音:20:28 “多马说：我的主，我的上帝。” 我们只能推测多马为什么会这么说，但既然他被称为“怀疑”的多马，我们可以理解，他这句话或是在惊奇和难以置信的顷刻间脱口而出的。多马是犹太人，所以有可能是用了旧约时代一种普遍的表达方式，就是把上帝所认可的代表都称为“上帝”。希伯来语用elohim来指上帝，但同时也可以指下列的任何例子。 （1）统治者、审判官，在神圣地点供职的神圣代表人，或反映出神圣威严与大能者。 （2）神物，超乎人类的生物，包括上帝和天使。 因此，多马不是称呼耶稣为上帝，至少在三位一体论的意义上，而可能是称呼祂为一位反映神性大能与威严的人，或是一位统治者。如果不是这样的话，那下面是为何多马这么说的最大可能性原因。 按着正当的文法范畴来说，我们发现“我的主，我的上帝”这句话称呼了两个不同的个体。不过，按原文的文法来看，多马是对耶稣一个人说的。 所以我们必须找出一个不违背文法的诠释。这是可行的，只要我们明白，多马在说这句话的时候，虽然他是对着耶稣说的，但他同时也称呼在耶稣里面的父上帝。它的上下文也支持这个论点。我们来看耶稣之前与怀疑的多马和腓力所谈的一段话。 约翰福音:14:5-10 “多马对他说：主阿，我们不知道你往那里去，怎么知道那条路呢？耶稣说我就是道路、真理、生命；若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去。你们若认识我，也就认识我的父，从今以后，你们认识他，并且已经看见他。腓力对他说：求主将父显给我们看，我们就知足了。耶稣对他说：腓力，我与你们同在这么长久，你还不认识我吗？人看见了我，就是看见了父，你怎么说：将父显给我们看呢？我在父里面，父在我里面，你不信吗？我对你们所说的话，不是凭着自己说的，乃是住在我里面的父作他自己的事。” 腓力当着多马的面告诉耶稣说，他能看见父也就知足了。耶稣回答多马和腓力说，看见了祂（耶稣）就等于看见了父，因为父在祂里面。但是多马还是不明白。 多马下一次与耶稣对话是在约翰福音20:28。现在多马已经明白父在耶稣里面做工，甚至叫耶稣从死里复活，所以看见了耶稣，也就是看见了父。因此多马才会发出这样的惊叹：“我的主（耶稣），我的上帝（父）！” 多马并没有称呼耶稣为他的“主和上帝”。 我们也知道，怀疑的多马不可能宣告耶稣是那独一真神上帝。原因是在上面几节，在约翰福音20:17，约翰记载了复活的耶稣向末大拉的玛利亚显现，并告诉她说，“不要摸我，因我还没有升上去见我的父，你往我弟兄那里去，告诉他们说：我要升上去，见我的父，也是你们的父，见我的上帝，也是你们的上帝。” 耶稣说祂的上帝是祂父亲，而祂的上帝也是玛利亚的上帝。耶稣有没有告诉玛利亚说祂是她的上帝呢？没有，相反的，耶稣非常具体地说祂的上帝也是玛利亚的上帝。 既然复活的基督称呼圣父为“我的上帝”，那耶稣怎么可能是上帝，如果连祂自己都有上帝呢？约翰确实不可能说多马用三位一体论的意义来称耶稣为“我的上帝”，因为约翰刚才记载了耶稣称呼父为“我的上帝”。多马不可能称耶稣为上帝，因为约翰写道，耶稣升上去见玛利亚和多马两人的同一位上帝。 再说，在多马承认了耶稣之后的仅仅一节里，约翰福音20:30-31，约翰就结论说： “耶稣在门徒面前，另外行了许多神迹，没有记在这书上。但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是上帝的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。” 约翰没有说“要叫你们信耶稣是上帝”。如果是这样的话，那么约翰宣告耶稣为上帝就远远大于宣告祂为上帝的儿子了。 由此可见，耶稣不是父上帝，也不是上帝，而是上帝的儿子。我们若相信祂是真的上帝的儿子，我们就能因祂作为圣子的名分而得永生。阿们。 基督是不是上帝？（二） 1. 只有上帝才能赦罪吗？ 三位一体论老是聚焦于一个法利赛人所说的话，却对耶稣亲口所说的话视而不见。从这一点就能看出其迷惑人之处。有些人称耶稣就是上帝，因为这些法利赛人说只有上帝才能赦罪。 马可福音2:7“这个人为什么这样说呢？他说僭妄的话了，除了上帝以外，谁能赦罪呢？” 但是这些耶稣说进不了天国的法利赛人（马太5:20；23:13）不知道或不接受耶稣是上帝的儿子，他们也不相信父上帝已经把做这些事的权柄都交给了耶稣。三节之后，耶稣说祂已经被赋予赦罪的权柄了。 马可福音2:10“但要叫你们知道人子在地上有赦罪的权柄... ” 不单只是赦罪的权柄，耶稣也说：（马太福音28:18）“天上地下所有的权柄，都赐给我了。” 约翰也说：（约翰福音3:35）“父爱子，已将万有交在他手里。” 注意，上帝已经将“所有的权柄”、“万有”都“赐给”祂儿子了。如果圣子是上帝如同圣父是上帝一样，又如果圣子是全能者如同圣父是全能者一样，那么圣子怎能被赐予任何事物，假如祂本身是上帝呢？上帝本身自然就有这些东西，怎么可能还需要任何生物把这些东西“赐给”祂呢？上帝不依靠任何人或物来获取这些东西。但是我们清楚看到，耶稣必须依靠祂父亲来将万有交在祂手里。耶稣也照样获得了祂父亲所赐给祂的赦罪的权柄。 2. 我们应当只敬拜上帝吗？ 有人说马太福音吩咐我们应当只敬拜上帝。那么既然耶稣也受人敬拜，他们就结论说耶稣必定是上帝。 马太福音4:10“耶稣说：撒但退去吧。因为经上记着说：『当拜主你的上帝，单要事奉他。』 当耶稣说“因为经上记着说”这句话的时候，祂是在引用申命记6:13，祂所用的是希腊文旧约的《七十士译本》，它上面是这样说的：“你要敬畏耶和华你的上帝，并且要单单事奉他。” 我们注意到的第一点是，这两个章节在技术上并没有说“要单单敬拜上帝”。它只说“要单单事奉上帝”。然而，在这一节中，“事奉”这两个字带有敬拜的色彩。无论如何，耶稣曾教导说，我们应当事奉别人，不过这一节的“事奉”明显不是这个意思。再说，上帝也曾命令众天使敬拜祂儿子，所以这里的事奉也不是敬拜的意思。（希伯来书1:6）“再者，上帝使长子到世上来的时候，就说：『上帝的使者都要拜他。』” 不要忘记腓立比书2:6 “他本有上帝的形像，不以自己与上帝同等为强夺的。” 这告诉我们耶稣在本性上与上帝同等，所以祂是全然神性的，祂因此当然配得敬拜。耶稣也说：（约翰福音5:23）“叫人都尊敬子如同尊敬父一样。不尊敬子的，就是不尊敬差子来的父。” 那么耶稣对撒但所说的是什么意思呢？那么多人误会了祂的意思。其实答案并不难找。在马太福音4:10，耶稣说“因为经上记着说”。那么这意味着耶稣是指着旧约圣经中某个相关的例子。要找到答案，我们只需看耶稣所指的是什么，再应用到祂对撒但所说的话。我们来看看耶稣所引用的章节。 申命记6:13-15“你要敬畏耶和华你的上帝，事奉他，指着他的名起誓。不可随从别神，就是你们四围国民的神。因为在你们中间的耶和华─你上帝是忌邪的神，惟恐耶和华─你上帝的怒气向你发作，就把你从地上除灭。” 这段经文凸显了所争议的课题，就是关于拜偶像，或拜假神。敬拜基督并事奉祂不等于拜偶像。以赛亚书14:12-14告诉我们说，撒但要像至高者上帝一样受敬拜。耶稣在旷野受试探时，撒但要耶稣俯伏在地向他下拜，拜他为神，因此耶稣就引用旧约圣经应对他，说，你不可敬拜或“随从别神”。所以基督的话必须从他所引用的经文语境中去了解。很多基督徒经常都无视经文的上下文语境，结果错误的应用了特定的词句而偏离了经文原来的意思。 所以我们要敬拜真神上帝，不要拜假神。因此这不排除我们对祂儿子的敬拜，因为祂儿子与父亲是同等的。而我们也当事奉上帝，不事奉假神，所以这也不排除事奉基督。 3. 耶稣叫自己从死里复活吗？ 那些声称耶稣必定是上帝的人，是根据约翰福音10:18里耶稣的一句话。他们声称基督叫自己从死里复活。但是他们却忽略了《圣经》至少22次明白地说，是祂父亲叫祂从死里复活的。 翻译成“权柄”的希腊原文“exousia”，它的意思还包括“权威”、“管辖权”、“自由”、“能力”、“权利”和“力量”。在这里适当的翻译成“权柄”。 约翰福音10:18 “没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来，这是我从我父所受的命令。” 英王钦定本把它翻译成“能力”，于是让一些人误以为耶稣有能力叫自己复活。如果翻译对了，这一节就会呈现全新的意义，从而消除一切看似自相矛盾的问题。下面是所有说明是上帝叫祂儿子从死里复活的经文。 使徒行传2:24 “上帝却将死的痛苦解释［解除］了，叫他复活... 。” 使徒行传2:32 “这耶稣，上帝已经叫他复活了... ” 使徒行传3:15 “你们杀了那生命的主，上帝却叫他从死里复活了... ” 使徒行传4:10 “... 这人得痊愈，是因你们所钉十字架，上帝叫他从死里复活的，拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名。” 使徒行传5:30 “你们挂在木头上杀害的耶稣，我们祖宗的上帝已经叫他复活。” 使徒行传10:40 “第三日上帝叫他复活，显现出来... ” 使徒行传13:30 “上帝却叫他从死里复活。” 使徒行传13:33 “上帝已经向我们这作儿女的应验，叫耶稣复活了... ” 使徒行传13:34 “论到上帝叫他从死里复活，不再归于朽坏... ” 使徒行传13:37 “惟独上帝所复活的，他并未见朽坏。” 使徒行传17:31 “... 并且叫他从死里复活，给万人作可信的凭据。” 罗马书4:24 “也是为我们将来得算为义之人写的，就是我们这信上帝使我们的主耶稣从死里复活的人。” 罗马书6:4 “... 像基督借着父的荣耀，从死里复活一样。” 罗马书10:9 “你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信上帝叫他从死里复活，就必得救。” 哥林多前书6:14 “并且上帝已经叫主复活，也要用自己的能力叫我们复活。” 哥林多前书15:15 “... 因我们见证上帝是叫基督复活了，若死人真不复活，上帝也就没有叫基督复活了。” 哥林多后书4:14 “自己知道，那叫主耶稣复活的，也必叫我们与耶稣一同复活，并且叫我们与你们一同站在他面前。” 加拉太书:1:1 “作使徒的保罗，（不是由于人，也不是借着人，乃是借着耶稣基督，与叫他从死里复活的父上帝）” 以弗所书:1:20 “就是照他在基督身上，所运行的大能大力，使他从死里复活，叫他在天上坐在自己的右边，” 歌罗西书2:12 “你们既受洗与他一同埋葬，也就在此与他一同复活，都因信那叫他从死里复活上帝的功用。” 帖撒罗尼迦前书1:10 “等候他儿子从天降临，就是他从死里复活的，那位救我们脱离将来忿怒的耶稣。” 彼得前书1:21 “你们也因着他，信那叫他从死里复活，又给他荣耀的上帝... 。” 基督是不是上帝？（三） 1. 以赛亚书43:11或何西阿书13:4证明耶稣是上帝吗？ 既然这两节说，除了耶和华上帝以外，再没有救主了，而其他经文例如约翰壹书4:14 则说耶稣是我们的救主，那么很多人就争论说，耶稣必定是那个耶和华上帝了。但这个论点是站不住脚的。 以赛亚书:43:11 “惟有我是耶和华，除我以外没有救主。” 何西阿书:13:4 “自从你出埃及地以来，我就是耶和华你的上帝，在我以外，你不可认识别神，除我以外并没有救主。” 在这两节里翻译成“救主”的希伯来词最普遍的翻译是“拯救”或“得救”，也有被翻译成“拯救者”的。在摩西的时代，上帝拯救了祂的子民脱离埃及的势力，而在以赛亚的时代，上帝拯救了他们脱离亚述国的势力。再没有其他人可以拯救他们脱离这些势力，所以经文清楚地显示，除了上帝以外，他们并没有其他的救主。 《巴恩斯圣经注释》对以赛亚书第43章做了这样的解释：“这一章... 主要是针对上帝给祂被掳到巴比伦的子民所应许的拯救。上帝的子民依然被先知看为在长时间痛苦的掳掠中受苦受罪，而先知的目的是以拯救的保证来安慰他们。” 何西阿书13:4当然是指上帝拯救祂的子民脱离埃及人那个时候。 当然耶稣是我们的救主。但是在这些经文中，上帝是祂子民以色列的救主这个背景，是关乎拯救他们脱离巴比伦和埃及的奴役，而不是拯救他们脱离他们的罪。那是基督为全人类所做的事。人类最大的拯救是脱离罪恶的权势，而这就是上帝交给祂儿子的任务了。 2. 还没有亚伯拉罕，就有了我 另一个备受争议的经文是约翰福音8:58。“还没有亚伯拉罕，就有了我。” 但所争议的主要是英文版圣经。英皇钦定本圣经KJV翻译成“还没有亚伯拉罕之前，我是。” “我是”这两个词也意味着“我存在”。有人称耶稣在约翰福音8:58里宣告自己为上帝，因为他用了“我是”这两个字。他们错误地把“我是”这两个字与出埃及记3:14联系在一起。从这节经文，他们便引出一个结论说，耶稣在隐喻一个神性的名字并以此来告诉犹太人祂是上帝。三位一体论信徒进一步尝试支持他们的论点，说这就是为什么犹太人拿起石头要打死祂的原因。但这其实是因为耶稣在约翰福音第8章的整篇中对他们说了许多事情，而逐步的激怒了他们。最后因为耶稣说祂比他们的国父亚伯拉罕还要大，而彻底让他们忍无可忍了。所以耶稣称祂的权柄比先祖亚伯拉罕还要大，这也意味着祂也比他们大。 约翰福音8:58的“我是”这两个字，是来源于两个希腊词“ego”跟“eimi”。《斯特朗圣经词典》的定义是：ego是指“我”（只作强调性用词）。eimi则是指“我存在”（只用于强调性），我是... 你想耶稣应该如何回应犹太人这句话：（约翰福音8:57） “犹太人说：你还没有五十岁，岂见过亚伯拉罕呢？” 法利赛人不知道耶稣早在亚伯拉罕之前就已存在，于是他们说，你怎么可能见过亚伯拉罕呢，你都还没有50岁呀！既然希腊文中的“我是”也意味着“我存在”或“我已存在”，那么还没有亚伯拉罕就已存在的基督，来自祂的回应明显应该怎么翻译呢？ “耶稣对他们说，我实实在在地对你们说，还没有亚伯拉罕之前，我是。” 或者是 “耶稣说：我实实在在的告诉你们，还没有亚伯拉罕，就有了我。” 两个版本都是合法的译本，但是大部分的圣经译本实际上跟第二个版本相吻合。这是有充分理由的。这两个词也可翻译成“我存在”、“我是（过去式或现在完成式）”。除了在约翰福音8:58，还有其他章节也出现这两个词的。比如说，在路加福音19:22，ego eimi 被翻译成“我是（过去式）”。 这两个词是犹太人和基督徒以及第一世纪在新约圣经中普遍常用的词语。它不是任何神明的名字，圣经的上帝也好，其他神明也好，都不用这个名字的。它从来都没有被犹太人或基督徒理解作宣告自身为上帝的词语。如果他们认为是这样的话，那犹太人肯定不会把这两个字用在他们自己身上，不过事实却相反，他们经常都用这两个字。彼得、保罗、加百列和撒迦利亚都说过“我是...某某 ”。但是他们没有一个宣称自己为上帝的。 路加福音1:18 “撒迦利亚对天使说：我凭着什么可知道这事呢？我已经老了［原文作：我是（ego eimi）一个老人］，我的妻子也年纪老迈了。” 路加福音1:19 “天使回答说：我是（ego eimi）站在神面前的加百列...” 约翰福音1:27 “就是那在我以后来的，给他解鞋带，我是（ego eimi）不配的。” 使徒行传10:21 “于是彼得下去见那些人，说：我就是（ego eimi）你们所找的人... ” 使徒行传21:39 “保罗说：我本是（ego eimi）犹太人，生在基利家的大数... 。” 连那生来瞎眼的人也说“我是”或“是我”来介绍自己。 约翰福音9:9 “有人说：是他，又有人说：不是，却是像他，他自己说：是我（ego eimi）。” 也没有一个犹太人认为这个瞎子在宣告自己为上帝。 下面是耶稣在四福音中说ego eimi的所有其它章节。没有一句可以被理解为耶稣自称为上帝。马太福音24:5、马可福音13:6、路加福音21:8、约翰福音8:24, 28；13:19 “我是基督”。约翰福音18:5, 6, 8 “我就是”。马太福音20:15 “我作［我是］好人”。马太福音28:20 “我就常与你们同在... ” 马可福音14:62 “耶稣说，我是（上帝的儿子）...” 路加福音22:27 “... 我在你们中间，如同服事人的。” 路加福音22:70 “他们都说：这样，你是上帝的儿子吗？耶稣说：你们所说的是。” 约翰福音6:35, 48, 51“耶稣说：我就是生命的粮...” 约翰福音7:34 “我所在的地方... ” 约翰福音12:26；17:24；14:3 “我在哪里... ” 约翰福音8:12 “我是世界的光... ” 约翰福音8:18 “我是为自己作见证... ” 约翰福音8:23 “... 我是从上头来的，... 我不是属这世界的。” 约翰福音10:7, 9 “我就是（羊的）门...” 约翰福音10:11, 14 “我是好牧人... ” 约翰福音11:25 “复活在我，生命也在我［原文作：我是复活和生命］” 约翰福音14:6 “我是道路... ” 约翰福音15:1, 5 “我是真葡萄树... ” 约翰福音:17:14, 16 “我不属世界... ” 约翰福音18:37 “你说我是王... ” 到了基督行将结束祂的布道工作时，有关祂的消息已经传遍远近四方。这时，犹太人理解基督自称祂是谁？他们又告祂什么控状呢？ 马太福音26:63 “耶稣却不言语。大祭司对他说：我指着永生上帝，叫你起誓告诉我们，你是上帝的儿子基督不是。” 马太福音27:40 “...你如果是上帝的儿子，就从十字架上下来吧。”马太福音27:43 “他倚靠上帝，上帝若喜悦他，现在可以救他，因为他曾说：我是上帝的儿子。” 马可福音14:61 “... 大祭司又问他说：你是那当称颂者的儿子基督不是。” 马可福音14:62 耶稣说：我是（ego eimi）... ” 马可福音15:39 “对面站着的百夫长，看见耶稣这样喊叫断气，就说：这人真是上帝的儿子。” 路加福音22:67 “你若是基督，就告诉我们。” 路加福音22:70 “他们都说：这样，你是上帝的儿子吗？耶稣说：你们所说的［我］是（ego eimi）。” 约翰福音19:7 “犹太人回答说：我们有律法，按那律法，他是该死的，因他以自己为上帝的儿子。” 在以上的几节经文中，有两次耶稣回答说，“我是”（ego eimi）。他不是在说他是上帝，而是在证实他是上帝的儿子。犹太人明显从来不以为耶稣宣告自己为上帝。假如耶稣宣告自己为上帝的话，那么这骇人听闻的事就必传遍远近四方。整本新约圣经都没有记载到有任何人问他是不是上帝。所以在约翰福音8:58节中犹太人怎么可能会以为他在宣告自己为上帝呢？ 另外我们也当注意，出埃及记3:14的这个词组“我是自有永有的” （英皇钦定本翻译成“我是那我是”）它的具体意思也有各种说法。《通俗拉丁文本圣经》翻译成“我是那我是”。《七十士译本》翻译成“我是那存活的”。《约拿单的塔古姆》希伯来圣经意译本和《耶路撒冷塔古姆》将这词组意译为“祂那一说，世界就有了，祂那一说，万物就存在了。” 原文的字面意义是“我会是那我会是的。” 如果用希腊文旧约《七十士译本》来对照一下出埃及记3:14和约翰福音8:58，我们会发现上帝说：“我是那生物（ego eimi ho ohn， OHN翻译成英文的BEING，也是“是”字的进行式，中文和合本翻译成“自有的”），而耶稣则说：“还没有亚伯拉罕，我是（ego eimi）。” 由此可见，上帝的名其实是Ho Ohn (The Being 那生物/那自有的）而不是ego eimi（我是）。出埃及记3:14的最后一句也进一步证明这一点。“那自有的（Ho Ohn）打发我到你们这里来。” 经文不是说“我是（ego eimi）打发我到你们这里来。” 无论这词组翻译成什么，ho ohn跟ego eimi 是不同的。所以出埃及记的“我是”和约翰福音的“我是”两者之间并没有必然的关系。约翰福音8:58不可能将耶稣等同于上帝，除非是用不正确的译本和错误的文法持着自己的偏见去推断出来的。 总结来说，约翰福音8:58的正确含义，中文和合本圣经还是翻译得正确的。“还没有亚伯拉罕（的存在），就有了我（的存在）。” 今天的研究再次证明耶稣是上帝的儿子，而不是上帝本身。好了，本期的节目就到这里，愿上帝继续保守我们各人，更深的认识祂并爱祂，使我们的生命重新得力。我们下次再会。 基督是不是上帝？（四） 1. 阿拉法与俄梅戛，初与终 启示录1:8 昔在今在以后永在的全能者，主上帝说我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛。 （【以上乃此经文的正确翻译。整段话是耶稣说的，祂说祂的父（那昔在今在以后永在的全能者主上帝）说祂（耶稣）是阿拉法、俄梅嘎。】 启示录21:6 他又对我说：都成了。我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，我是初，我是终。我要将生命泉的水白白赐给那口渴的人喝。 启示录22:13 我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，我是首先的，我是末后的，我是初，我是终。 初，就是起初/开始（the beginning） 终，就是终结/结束（the end） 有些人相信“阿拉法”与“俄梅戛”这两个概念是指基督没有开始，也没有结束。但是圣经没有这样讲。启示录说，基督是某一件事的首先或初始，和末后或终结。不止这个，一个开始是指某一事物的根源，而一个终结是指某一事物的终止/结束。永恒就是没有开始的，也是没有结束的。许多基督徒对圣经中的开始/起初有着错误的观念。我们知道上帝是没有开始的，祂是常存的。“阿拉法”是希腊字母中的第一个字母，所以它是希腊字母的“初/开始”，而“俄梅戛”是希腊字母中的最后一个字母，所以它是希腊字母的“终/结束”。所以这些词只不过是指某一件事的开始和结束。那是什么事呢？我们不要作任何假设，只要看圣经怎么说，还有这些话对犹太人有着什么样的意义。 我们注意到，凡是提到阿拉法和俄梅戛的章节每一次都是随着基督复临和世界末日的景象而来的。这并不是什么巧合。基督创造了这个世界，给世界带来了一个全新的开始，而到了世界末日，基督要从天降临，给世界带来毁灭的结局。所以说，基督是阿拉法与俄梅戛，是开始也是结束，是第一个也是最后一个。这三种说法都是同一个意思的。在启示录1:17, 18，耶稣说：“我是首先的，我是末后的。又是那存活的；我曾死过，现在又活了，直活到永永远远。” 谁是阿拉法与俄梅嘎（最先和最后的），那曾死过而现在又活到永远的呢？就是基督。 我们也注意到，启示录21:1-8和22:12-14虽然谈到了末时，但也直接地透露，那些遵守上帝诫命的人必能吃生命树的果子，而那些行邪术的、淫乱的、杀人的、拜偶像的、并一切喜好说谎言编造虚谎的（启21:8和22:15），都必永远灭亡。注意启示录21:7（启21:7 得胜的，必承受这些为业，我要作他的上帝，他要作我的儿子。） 如何连系到启示录2:7（启2:7 圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听。得胜的，我必将神乐园中生命树的果子赐给他吃。），而2:7又连系到启示录22:14，这里说那些能吃生命果的人，就是那些遵守上帝诫命的人。（启示录22:14［和合本］ 那些洗净自己衣服的有福了，可得权柄能到生命树那里，也能从门进城。［英皇钦定本］那些遵行他诫命的有福了，可得权利能到生命树那里，也能从门进这城。） 那么我们发现，阿拉法和俄梅嘠这句话的上文是关于世界末日和基督再来的。而这句话的直接下文是关于两件末日之后所要马上发生的事。有太多证据显明这不是什么巧合。既然启示录是圣经的结局篇，同时也是关于末后的事，那么这就说明为什么这几个章节只提到“终”。那如果“终”是指这世界的结局的话，那么“初”明显是指世界的起初了。这起初就在圣经的开头，比如创世记1:1，和其它提到创世记第一章的经文。我们至今所看过的一切告诉我们，阿拉法俄梅嘎这几个章节是指基督复临和世界末日，到那时，那些忠心遵守上帝诫命的人必然吃到生命树的果子，而其他人则必灭亡。 《克拉克圣经注释》对启示录1:8所作的分析，说明了这句话如何被犹太人所用和理解。犹太人有没有把这句话诠释成基督永远存在而且祂又是上帝呢？这当然又与箴言第8章产生矛盾，那里说基督是生出的。所以这怎么说也是说不过去的。 如犹太人对这句话的意思之理解，从起初和圣经的第一本书，直到末后和圣经的最后一本书，耶稣都包含了一切。犹太人实际上明白这句话的含义，这样，他们必不同意三位一体论的说法。这几节经文所提到的初与终，初是指这世界被基督创造的开始，而终则是指基督复临和世界末日还有新天新地的产生。基督造成这世界的开始，祂也把世界带到她的结局。 启示录所说的起初与终结既然是指这世界的创造和开始，那我们就来看看下面这几个章节。 创世记1:1 “起初，上帝创造天地。‘ 箴言8:23 “从亘古，从太初，未有世界以前，我已被立。” 约翰福音1:1-3 “太初有道，道与上帝同在，道就是神。这道太初与上帝同在。 万物是借着他造的，凡被造的，没有一样不是借着他造的。” 以弗所书3:9 “又使众人都明白，这历代以来隐藏在创造万物之神里的奥秘，是如何安排的。” 希伯来书1:10 又说：『主阿，你起初立了地的根基，天也是你手所造的。』 这样，在这个背景下，所有提到起初的经文，贯彻始终都是一致的。这也进一步支持阿拉法和俄梅嘎这两个词的意思。 给复临信徒参考： “基督说，我是真实的见证。我是阿拉法与俄梅戛，初与终，首先的和末后的。” （怀爱伦著，《证道与短讲》第一集，原文第231页） “... 甚至从创世记至启示录，基督是阿拉法，福音链的第一环，也是俄梅戛，福音链的最后一环。这条链是在启示录里鋳成的。”（怀爱伦著，《文稿汇编》第10集，原文第171页） “祂是我们信心的创始成终者，是阿拉法与俄梅戛，初与终，首先的与末后的。” （怀爱伦著，《1888年资料集》，原文第783页） “所以说，祂是上帝创造的开始或首领这句话的意思是，受造之物的开始都在祂里面，如祂自己所说，祂是阿拉法与俄梅戛，初与终，首先的与末后的。启21:6; 22:13。祂是万物的起源。”（瓦格纳著，《基督与祂的义》原文第20页，1890年） 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 救恩归与谁 救恩归与谁？ 启示录 7:9-10 9 “此后，我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝，10 大声喊着说：“愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的上帝，也归与羔羊。” 这章节对任何会基本算数的人都很清楚，它说救恩归与两位生物。 就是“做宝座上我们的上帝” ...也... 归于“羔羊”。撒迦利亚也为我们确认了这和平的会议是在这两位生物之间，他写道：“。。。使...两职...之间筹定和平。” 撒迦利亚书 6:12-13 12 “对他说，万军之耶和华如此说：看哪，那名称为大卫苗裔的，他要在本处长起来，并要建造耶和华的殿。13 他要建造耶和华的殿，并担负尊荣，坐在位上掌王权。又必在位上作祭司，使两职之间筹定和平。 使徒行传第7章记载了司提反看见一个异象，他所见的如以下： 使徒行传 7:55-56 55 “但司提反被圣灵充满，定睛望天，看见上帝的荣耀，又看见耶稣站在上帝的右边， 56 就说：“我看见天开了，人子站在上帝的右边。” 因此我们知道耶稣是那 “羔羊”，是站在上帝右边的那位。 但是，那位 “在宝座上” 的上帝是谁？ 以弗所书 1:17-20 17 “求我们主耶稣基督的上帝，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。18 并且照明你们心中的眼睛，使你们知道他的恩召有何等指望，他在圣徒中得的基业有何等丰盛的荣耀；19 并知道他向我们这信的人所显的能力是何等浩大，20 就是照他在基督身上所运行的大能大力，使他从死里复活，叫他在天上坐在自己的右边， 耶稣说… 启示录3：21… “得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐，就如我得了胜，在我父的宝座上与他同坐一般。” 因此在宝座上的那位上帝是天父上帝而在祂右边的是祂儿子耶稣基督。 所以救恩是归与谁呢？ 圣父和圣子！ 救恩并不归与什么 “三位一体神”。 我们不会因”三位一体神”而得救。 我们会因天父上帝和祂儿子耶稣基督得救。 而且这就是为什么敬拜也会归给父上帝和耶稣，直到永永远远。 启示录 5:13 “我又听见在天上、地上、地底下、沧海里和天地间一切所有被造之物都说：“但愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀、权势都归给坐宝座的和羔羊，直到永永远远。” 由此我们如今也不应该与“三位一体神”相交，而是如圣经所说与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交。 约翰一书 1:3 “我们将所看见、所听见的传给你们，使你们与我们相交。我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的。” 的确，我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的。 也正因为救恩是归于父上帝和祂儿子，所以耶稣确认了永生是基于对父和子这两位的认识。 约翰福音 17:1-3 “耶稣说了这话，就举目望天说：“父啊，时候到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子，使儿子也荣耀你；2 正如你曾赐给他权柄管理凡有血气的，叫他将永生赐给你所赐给他的人。3 认识你独一的真神，并且认识你所差来的耶稣基督，这就是永生。 你是否靠着天父和祂儿子得救？ 还是你被欺骗而敬拜三位一体假神？ 世人必须弃偶像，归向上帝，要服侍那又真又活的上帝 （天父），并等候他儿子（耶稣）从天降临。（帖撒罗尼迦前书1：9-10） 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Why is the SDA organization Not Being Persecuted Today Here's the golden question-----Why is the SDA organization (supposed to be God's remnant church) not being persecuted today? Why is the church enjoying a golden age of peace and prosperity? Aren't these the last days? Is Satan sleeping or has the church become a synagogue of Satan? Ellen White gives us the answer, and there is only ONE reason, which wholly lies with the church: "There is another and more important question that should engage the attention of the churches of today. The apostle Paul declares that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” [2 Timothy 3:12.] Why is it, then, that persecution seems in a great degree to slumber? - The only reason is, that the church has conformed to the world's standard, and therefore awakens no opposition. The religion which is current in our day is not of the pure and holy character that marked the Christian faith in the days of Christ and his apostles. It is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, because the great truths of the Word of God are so indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital godliness in the church, that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world. Let there be a revival of the faith and power of the early church, and the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the fires of persecution will be rekindled." GC88 48.2 In summary, the GC SDA organization has-- (1) The organization has officially conformed to the world's standard, particularly the standard imposed by the World Council of Churches under the leadership of the MAN OF SIN. (2) The organization's faith (including the fundamental beliefs) is impure and unholy, in other words, adulterated with Babylonian doctrines. (3) The organization has compromised with SIN. (4) The great truths of the Bible are ignored. (5) The organization has become ungodly. (6) The organization values worldly popularity more than God's approval. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 守安息日为圣 今天我们要简单地探讨安息日这个课题当中的一些要点。相信这教导对许多人来说是了如指掌的，也是多年以来最备受关注的课题，特别是安息日会复临信徒。 大多数人是因为安息日而认识了基督复临安息日会这个教派。事实上，上帝在过去兴起基督复临安息日会的主要目的之一，就是要恢复安息日的遵守。上帝已指定我们必须在这一天敬拜祂，这也是十条诫命当中的第四条。 在怀爱伦先知的著作里有一个预言清楚说到：“时候将到，安息日将会被世人轻视”。首先，让我们回到上帝的诫命，是记载在出埃及记，并详细地读完第四条诫命，然后再看看可以从中汲取什么教训。 出埃及记 20:8-11 “当记念安息日，守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是向耶和华你上帝当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜，并你城里寄居的客旅，无论何工都不可作，因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息，所以耶和华赐福与安息日，定为圣日。 这里说当记念安息日，并要做什么呢？守为圣日。这是第四条诫命中的核心点。我们不仅要纪念安息日，还要守这日为圣。那我们知道安息日的设立是为了纪念创世大工，纪念上帝在六日之内创造天地万物并在第七日安息了。 因此，安息日的设立是为了让我们纪念创造跟我们的创造主。但是它并没有停在那里，上帝不仅单单要我们纪念祂。这段经文接着说： 守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是向耶和华你上帝当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜，并你城里寄居的客旅，无论何工都不可作，因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息，所以耶和华赐福与安息日，定为圣日。 我想花一点时间来探讨这个圣洁,或神圣的概念。因为这是第四条诫命的中心点。我们不光要纪念安息日，还要守它为圣日。现在就让我们翻开圣经的最后一本书，启示录 15:3-4。 启示录 15:3-4 唱上帝仆人摩西的歌和羔羊的歌，说：“主上帝，全能者啊，你的作为大哉，奇哉！万世之王啊（“世”或作“国”），你的道途义哉，诚哉！主啊，谁敢不敬畏你，不将荣耀归与你的名呢？因为独有你是圣的，万民都要来在你面前敬拜，因你公义的作为已经显出来了。” 在这里，我们读到唯独上帝是圣洁的。问题是，诫命要我们守安息日为圣。但是这里却说独有上帝才是圣的。换句话说，上帝是唯一圣洁的一位，那祂如何命令我们守这日为圣或使我们成圣呢？ 我们必须明白的是，上帝有一位独生子，从祂怀里出来的亲生儿子，希伯来书称耶稣为上帝本体的真像。那作为上帝真实的儿子并祂本体的真像，耶稣与父一样，同是圣洁的。不然的话，祂就不是真神的真像了。 这就是圣洁的泉源结束的地方，就是唯独上帝，那万有的本源，和祂儿子耶稣在本质上是圣洁的。因此，除了他们俩以外没有人是圣洁的。除非我们与圣洁的源头结合，或领受祂们的圣洁。 让我们来探讨圣经中几个有关圣洁的情景，几个与上帝和祂的圣洁有关联的例子。我们从启示录 4：8-11 开始。 启示录 4:8-11 四活物各有六个翅膀，遍体内外都满了眼睛。他们昼夜不住地说：“圣哉，圣哉，圣哉，主上帝是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者！”每逢四活物将荣耀、尊贵、感谢归给那坐在宝座上、活到永永远远者的时候，那二十四位长老就俯伏在坐宝座的面前敬拜那活到永永远远的，又把他们的冠冕放在宝座前，说：“我们的主，我们的上帝，你是配得荣耀、尊贵、权柄的，因为你创造了万物，并且万物是因你的旨意被创造而有的。” 我们能够想象这幕场景吗？围绕着上帝宝座的所有生物都清楚理解圣洁是什么。我们都必须查考圣经以学习有关圣洁的课题，因为遵守第四条诫命是极为重要的。 在安息日休息不工作是不足够的，加上我们不但要纪念这一日，还要做到守安息日为圣。由此，今天我们每一个人都必须知道如何守安息日为圣。 我们必须明白的是，我个人对圣的定义和你对圣的定义也许会不一样，每个人或许有自己的看法和理解，所以我们必须从圣经中找出它最正确的定义。 我们先来看圣经里的一个故事，它特别为我们启示，一个人若没有跟从与圣洁攸关的指示，其所带来的后果会是怎样的，而且这后果必是非常严重的。我们来看 撒母耳记下 6:6-11 到了拿艮的禾场，因为牛失前蹄（或作“惊跳”），乌撒就伸手扶住上帝的约柜。上帝耶和华向乌撒发怒，因这错误击杀他，他就死在上帝的约柜旁。大卫因耶和华击杀（原文作“闯杀”）乌撒，心里愁烦，就称那地方为毗列斯乌撒，直到今日。那日，大卫惧怕耶和华，说：“耶和华的约柜怎可运到我这里来？”于是大卫不肯将耶和华的约柜运进大卫的城，却运到迦特人俄别以东的家中。耶和华的约柜在迦特人俄别以东家中三个月，耶和华赐福给俄别以东和他的全家。 当我们读到这个故事时，我们可能会想，等等，这是怎么回事呢，为什么会这样。这个人单纯地只想做一件好事。眼看牛失蹄了，这位男人就因为害怕约柜会倒在地上，而伸出援手去扶住它。 他是怀着善意的，他的出发点单单是想避免约柜倒在地上。到底他何错之有呢？如果我们只读完这段经文，我们可能心想我们所侍奉的上帝或许不太公平，甚至有些残忍。 为什么上帝要击杀这位好心人呢？让我们翻开民数记以找出答案。民数记 4:15 民数记 4:15 将要起营的时候，亚伦和他儿子把圣所和圣所的一切器具遮盖完了，哥辖的子孙就要来抬，只是不可摸圣物，免得他们死亡。会幕里这些物件是哥辖子孙所当抬的。 “将要起营的时候，亚伦和他儿子把圣所和圣所的一切器具遮盖完了，哥辖的子孙就要来抬”， 让我们在这里停顿一下。我们知道以色列人在旷野搭建了一个圣幕。我们也晓得这些以色列人不会长久呆在一处，他们在旷野中不断迁移。所以上帝在如何设立圣所并谁能在圣所里供职这些方面上给了他们清楚的指示，而且祂这样做是有原因的。让我们继续读完这节经文。 “只是不可摸圣物，免得他们死亡。会幕里这些物件是哥辖子孙所当抬的。” 上帝无比清楚地给了他们明确的指示，让他们知道要如何处理圣物。另外，我们从这里学到的教训就是，圣洁是比我们想象中还要大的，且更为要紧的。 话说回来，大卫在这件事情发生后心里非常矛盾和困惑。他无法理解上帝为什么要这么做。怀爱伦先知在先祖与先知这本书里 有稍微谈到大卫当时的反应。让我们来读一读，看看事情为什么会如此发生。 大卫与他的百姓会合，他们安排了这项神圣的任务，是以欢欣乐意的心情来从事的； 但由于他们没有遵照耶和华的指示而行，因此祂就不能悦纳他们的服务。非利士人不知道上帝的律例，所以当他们把约柜送回以色列之地时，虽然把它放在牛车上运走，但耶和华却认可他们如此行。可是以色列人的手中有上帝的圣旨，有关于搬运约柜之事的明确指示，所以当他们忽略了这些指示，就是侮辱了上帝。乌撒则犯了更大的擅专之罪。他曾违犯了上帝的律法，故对约柜的神圣性感觉麻木了，他身上还有未曾承认的罪，竟敢冒犯上帝的禁令，而擅自触摸那代表上帝临格的象征。上帝不能接受一部分的顺从，不容许人在遵守他诫命的事上疏忽大意。他要借着那降在乌撒身上的刑罚使全以色列人得到深刻的印象，知道严格注意上帝命令的重要性。这样，一个人的死亡可以令百姓悔改，免得上帝的刑罚降在千万人身上。（怀爱伦著，《先祖与先知》原文第705页，第3段） “大卫与他的百姓会合，他们安排了这项神圣的任务，是以欢欣乐意的心情来从事的； 但由于他们没有遵照耶和华的指示而行，因此祂就不能悦纳他们的服务。非利士人不知道上帝的律例，所以当他们把约柜送回以色列之地时，虽然把它放在牛车上运走，但耶和华却认可他们如此行。” 上帝对他们的无知睁一只眼闭一只眼。上帝根据每个人所得到的亮光来审判各人。 “可是以色列人的手中有上帝的圣旨，有关于搬运约柜之事的明确指示，所以当他们忽略了这些指示，就是侮辱了上帝。乌撒则犯了更大的擅专之罪。他曾违犯了上帝的律法，故对约柜的神圣性感觉麻木了，他身上还有未曾承认的罪，竟敢冒犯上帝的禁令，而擅自触摸那代表上帝临格的象征。上帝不能接受一部分的顺从，不容许人在遵守他诫命的事上疏忽大意。” 朋友们，是什么造成死亡呢？什么事必定会导致死亡呢？就是罪，因为经上记着说，罪的工价乃是死。 “他要借着那降在乌撒身上的刑罚使全以色列人得到深刻的印象，知道严格注意上帝命令的重要性。这样，一个人的死亡可以令百姓悔改，免得上帝的刑罚降在千万人身上。” 所以即使在这一个大卫认为不公平的举动之中，我们也看见了上帝大爱的彰显，因为这件事救了千万人免受刑罚。不过上帝并没有任意选了乌撒来罚他或牺牲他的，而是乌撒本身有罪，因此承受了罪的代价。接下来，在怀爱伦著作中的下一面，她提到了大卫，我们来看。 上帝的谴责在大卫身上已经生效。他因此空前地体会到上帝律法的神圣，以及严格顺从的必要。上帝施恩给俄别以东全家，使大卫再希望约柜会使他和他的百姓蒙福。（怀爱伦著，《先祖与先知》原文第706页，第2段） 当然这里的律法是概括性的，这包括祂所有的律法和话语。但是当我们回到第四条诫命时，显而易见的就是这与我们所谈到的都有相同的道理。这是关乎一个神圣的课题，是一个宇宙的上帝要求或指示我们守之为圣的日子。 圣经里有一个很好的故事，虽然它与安息日没有直接的关系，但是它对我们今天所要学习和理解的道理很有帮助。这故事记载在路加福音 10:38-42，在我们读的当儿，我要你们好好思考以下这个问题，安息日其实是为了什么而被设立的呢？是什么让这一日成为圣洁的呢，而我们在那日又如何成为圣洁呢？ 路加福音 10:38-42 他们走路的时候，耶稣进了一个村庄。有一个女人名叫马大，接他到自己家里。她有一个妹子名叫马利亚，在耶稣脚前坐着听他的道。马大伺候的事多，心里忙乱，就进前来说：“主啊，我的妹子留下我一个人伺候，你不在意吗？请吩咐她来帮助我。”耶稣回答说：“马大，马大！你为许多的事思虑烦扰，但是不可少的只有一件，马利亚已经选择那上好的福分，是不能夺去的。” 圣经在这儿为我们呈现了两种人。 马利亚清楚明白耶稣的身份并耶稣对她的重要性。只要有机会与耶稣同在，她就愿意把所有的一切都放下，不让其他事物来占据她的思想。她想要做的唯一事情就是花时间与耶稣共处并与祂交谈，向祂学习并享受祂的同在。 反之，我们看到她的姐姐马大依然在劳碌奔波，忙东忙西，继续忙着做她一贯所做的事情。她忙着打扫，忙着预备食物等等，希望能为她的主预备一切，使他得到最好的待遇。 尽管如此，主以为我们预备了一个特别的日子，使我们能得到所谓的充电，一个我们都应该把焦点完全放在祂身上的日子。为什么呢？因为祂赐给了我们六天的时间来忙碌，来完成自己的私事。 这就是我们每一天的生活，我们必须做工，读书，做饭，打扫家居，照顾家人等等。但是到了第七日，耶稣以一种特别的方式来到我们的生命中。我们都晓得上帝给安息日赐下了特别的祝福。而玛利亚也清楚明白了与主同在并与主联系意味着什么。我们来看历代愿望一书中的一段引言。 马大不应该缺少“一件事”，就是安详虔诚的精神，一种对关乎将来不朽之生命的知识，和灵程长进所必需的恩典更为深邃的思虑。她应该少为暂时的事操心，而多为永恒的事焦急。耶稣教导他的儿女们，务必抓紧每一个机会来获得真知识，使他们能有得救的智慧。基督的圣工固然需要审慎积极的工人；广大的工作园地，正需要像马大这样热心从事宗教活动的人；但是，他们务要先同马利亚一起坐在耶稣脚前；务要藉基督的恩典使他们的殷勤、敏捷和魄力成圣；然后他们的人生才能成为一股不可征服的向善的力量。（怀爱伦著，《历代愿望》原文第525页，第2段） 弟兄姐妹们，若要遵守一个日子为圣，我们就必须与圣洁的来源合而为一。 我们都像马利亚一样，需要坐在耶稣的脚前向他学习，选择那永远不能被夺去的上好福分。我们像马大一样也需要常常竭力多作主工。那较高超的基督徒成就，惟在乎多用双膝跪下作诚恳的祈祷。……若有一丝自私的根保留在心灵之内，当不防备之时或要发芽生长，因而有多人沾染污秽。（怀爱伦著，《使我们认识祂》原文第351页，第4段） 在以赛亚书第58章最后两节，上帝在安息日的课题上给了我们一些明确的指示和教导，并让我们晓得上帝在这一天对我们的要求是什么。 以赛亚书 58:13-14 “你若在安息日掉转（或作“谨慎”）你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的，而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话，你就以耶和华为乐。耶和华要使你乘驾地的高处，又以你祖雅各的产业养育你。”这是耶和华亲口说的。 “你若在安息日掉转你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的，而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话。” 那我们要是不说自己的私话，那我们应该说谁的话和听谁的话呢？ 自己的话吗？我们一周内的成就吗？我们生意上的成绩吗？不是的，是基督的话语才对。玛利亚就是知道基督的话语有多么的可贵。她明白这些话语是公义和圣洁的来源。让我们继续读下去。 “你就以耶和华为乐。耶和华要使你乘驾地的高处，又以你祖雅各的产业养育你。这是耶和华亲口说的。”上帝藉着安息日赐下特别的福气给那些愿意领受的人。 论到安息日，有一件我们必须注意的事，是不要论断别人，因为我们不能看透人心，也不理解别人的处境。也许他人还未得到亮光，未明白安息日的真理，或者缺乏知识，不晓得要如何守安息日。这就是为什么上帝根据个人所得的亮光来审判世人。 尽管如此，上帝给我们祂的话语，即圣经和预言之灵，是有其原因的。我们得到了这些亮光，就应该好好地去研究，明白真理并与他人分享。现在让我们翻开教会证言卷六，来看看上帝赐给怀爱伦先知的一些知识，使我们有一些概念，在安息日来临前该做什么准备，并在安息日当天有什么要特别注意的。 安息日开始 在星期五这一天，为安息日所作的一切准备都应当完成。所有的衣服都要预备妥当，一切的饭食也当作好。此外如擦鞋，沐浴等事，均应一一办妥。这是可能做到的，只要你肯定规把它做成，则自然不难办到。安息日这天并不是给人缝补衣裳，烹调食物，寻求欢乐，或从事其它俗务的。在日落之前当将一切世俗的工作放在一边，一切世俗的报章杂志，也当收藏起来。做父母的当向儿女说明其所以如此行的原因和目的，并让他们也在这准备遵照诫命守安息日的事上有份。（怀爱伦著，《教会证言卷六》原文第355页，第3段） 根据上帝的话语，要遵守一个日子为圣是有一些条件的。我们再来看一段引言，也是同一页的上一段。 许多人须受教知道如何整肃仪表，以参赴安息日崇拜聚会。他们来到上帝面前，不应还穿着平素的衣服。各人都当有一身特为安息日而制备的服装，作为到上帝殿中参赴聚会时穿着之用。我们固然不应效法世界的风尚，但也决不可不关心自己的仪表。我们虽应避免盛妆艳服，但仍须讲求清洁整齐，因为上帝的子民在外表和内心都当纯洁。（怀爱伦著，《教会证言卷六》原文第355页，第2段） 接下来，我们来翻开第360页的第1段。 当我们迫不得已而需要在安息日旅行之时，也当设法避免与那些会吸引我们去注意俗事的人同行。当保守我们的心意，专心思念上帝，与衪谈心。遇有机会，就当向人传讲真理。要时常准备，以便救济受难的人，帮助缺乏者，在这一类的事情上，上帝要我们将衪所给的智慧和知识，付诸实用。但我们却不应商谈业务，或作任何普通的、世俗的谈话。因为随时随在，上帝都要我们藉着尊敬安息日，证实我们对衪的忠诚。（怀爱伦著，《教会证言卷六》原文第360页，第1段） “当我们迫不得已而需要在安息日旅行之时，也当设法避免与那些会吸引我们去注意俗事的人同行。当保守我们的心意，专心思念上帝，与衪谈心。遇有机会，就当向人传讲真理。要时常准备，以便救济受难的人，帮助缺乏者，在这一类的事情上，上帝要我们将衪所给的智慧和知识，付诸实用。但我们却不应商谈业务，或作任何普通的、世俗的谈话。” 我们不应该做任何世俗的谈话。为什么呢？记得我们在以赛亚书上所读的吗？在上帝的安息日不可说自己的私话。 “因为随时随在，上帝都要我们藉着尊敬安息日，证实我们对衪的忠诚。” 这段话是特别写给上帝的传道人的，就是那些到各个地方去传福音的弟兄姐妹们，当然我们尽可能要避免在圣安息日旅行到别的地方去。 但是如果无可避免的话，那我们应该注意我们的心思意念和言行举止。因为上帝所看的，是我们的出发点和我们行为的动机。 很多时候，我们没有遵守安息日的行为只是一些症状，而我们没有守安息日为圣的原因，或问题的根源，是因为我们个人没有与基督建立美好的关系。 也许我们还不明白玛利亚所明白的道理。我们没有玛利亚所拥有的欲望，就是当基督在她身边的时候她所要得到的。因此，很多时候，我们不断地想把这些症状治好，但却不断失败，也许每一次都失败。 因为我们没有对症下药，或更准确地说，我们不知道这问题的根本所在。好，现在让我们再读一段引言。 “我们要命令所有人，如果可以避免的话，尽可能不要在安息日洗他们的碗碟。在上帝的圣日做任何不必要的工作会让上帝蒙羞。如果可以的话，碗碟应该留到安息日结束之后才洗，这样做不会显得不一致，反而更加妥当。” （怀爱伦著，《信函》第104号，1901年，原文第9段） 我们尽可能避免在安息日洗碗碟，除非逼不得已。我们是在家里进行家庭崇拜的，那比如说用餐时我们不够碗碟供大家使用的情况，那么先用完餐的弟兄姐妹可以先把碗碟洗干净，再把餐具传给其他人。因此，正如我刚才所说的，很多时候最重要的是我们的出发点。接下来我们看这一段： 关于上帝就祂的圣日对你的要求，你必须有更高的见解。凡在上帝已赐给你的那六天能做成的事，你都应在那六天完成。但是圣日的时间，你不应抢夺上帝一时一刻。（怀爱伦著，《教会证言—卷二》原文第701页，第3段） 安息日结束 当太阳西沉之时，要有祈祷之声和赞美的歌声表示神圣的时间的终止，邀请上帝在劳作周的种种忧虑中与我们同在。（怀爱伦著，《教会证言—卷六》原文359页，第1段） 朋友们，我们刚刚在旧约圣经中所看到的，就是上帝对于守安息日为圣这件事上所作的一些要求，而这些要求被详细地记载在这些证言中，是有它的目的的。除此之外，我们越发亲近上帝时，就会越发明白这些真理。 因为你与上帝越要好，你就会越不想在上帝的圣日中抢夺祂的一分一秒。因为我们会以耶和华为乐，我们会在这特别的日子与我们这位特别的神，并祂儿子享受在一起的美好时光。 难得我们可以在这一天完全撇下一切的工作，一切的劳苦重担，忧愁挂虑并世俗的任何事情而来到上帝的面前，全心全意地与父和子相交，享受从天而来的福份。 说到这里呢，我想分享一个对我们很重要但许多人却都忽略的道理，记载在雅各书2:8-10。 雅各书 2:8-10 经上记着说：“要爱人如己。”你们若全守这至尊的律法，才是好的；但你们若按外貌待人，便是犯罪，被律法定为犯法的。因为凡遵守全律法的，只在一条上跌倒，他就是犯了众条。 我们必须遵守全十条律法。那让我来问你，你能够守安息日为圣却不孝敬父母吗？根据这段经文，答案很明显是不能。我们不能在守安息日或任何一条诫命的当儿又同时干犯另一条诫命。我们若是拜其他神或拜偶像的话，试问能守得安息日为圣吗？当然不能。为什么呢？因为圣经说，凡遵守全律法的，只要在一条上跌倒，他就是犯了众条。 这就是为什么上帝末时的子民，也被称为余民或圣徒, 不仅是守安息日的，而且也是守上帝诫命和耶稣真道的，你可以在启示录14：12看到这一点。我们不可能只守一条，但在其他诫命上跌倒，却误以为自己遵守了诫命。 我们必须有基督住在我们里头，靠着祂的力量来遵守全十条诫命，并结出圣灵的果子。只有这样，我们才能有基督的品格并有能力去面对那要来临的兽印记的大艰难时期。 单单知道关于安息日是不足够的，只知道星期日和三位一体敬拜是兽的印记也是不足够的。因为当那时候来到时，我们很有可能会跌倒。唯有基督藉着祂的灵住在我们里面，为我们塑造祂的品格，我们才能遵守得住所有的诫命并忍耐到底，直等到基督复临。 朋友们，让我们继续寻求上帝的公义，并祈求祂藉着祂儿子赐给我们祂的义，也让我们能遵守祂的安息日为圣，作为一个能使我们分别为圣的印记并藉着这一日与父并祂儿子更亲近。愿我们每一位都能认识上帝，经历祂，并有坚定的信心来奔走天国的道路。愿上帝赐福每一位，阿门。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 刻在石版上- 十条诫命 随着罪案和暴力事件在各国各城，甚至家庭中逐渐升级，为了确保人民生命财产的安全起见，每个人岂不应该遵守国家的法律吗？正所谓国有国法，家有家规。其实啊，上帝早在几千年前就已经把自己的律法写在石版上。而圣经说这律法是我们今时今日依然必须遵守的。 违背上帝律法的任何部分都必然招致负面的后果。更重要的是，遵守上帝律法的全部能给我们带来和平与安全。再说，我们作为基督徒，上帝把祂的律法赐给我们作为生活的指南，让我们能辨别是非对错。更何况顺从上帝的命令是爱祂的表现，也是对祂爱的回应。既然如此，我们今天就要来研究这个课题，详细地探讨一系列的问题，并认真思考上帝的十条诫命在我们生活中的定位。 1. 十条诫命真的是上帝亲自写的吗？ “耶和华在西奈山和摩西说完了话，就把两块见证的版交给他，是上帝用指头写的石版。这版是上帝的工作，字是上帝写的，刻在版上。” （出埃及记 31：18，32：16） 答：对！天上的上帝用自己的指头把十条诫命写在两块石板上。 2. 上帝对罪的定义是什么？ “凡犯罪的，就是违背律法；违背律法就是罪。” （约翰一书 3：4） 答：罪就是违背律法。耶和华的律法是全备的（诗篇 19：7），它的原则概括了人类所能犯的一切罪。诫命也涵盖了“人一切当尽的本分”（传道书 12：13）。没有任何一点是被遗漏的。 3. 上帝为什么要把十条诫命赐给我们？ “但遵守律法的，便为有福。” （箴言 29：18） 我儿，不要忘记我的法则；你心要谨守我的诫命；因为它们必将长久的日子，生命的年数与平安，加给你。（箴言 3：1，2） 答： （一）作为幸福，丰盛生活的指南。 上帝创造我们，让我们能体验喜乐、平安、长寿、满足、成就和我们内心所渴望的所有其他伟大的祝福。上帝的律法是我们生命地图的导航，引领我们走在正确的道路上，使我们找着真实又至高至上的幸福快乐。 “因为律法本是叫人知罪。” 罗马书 3：20。 “律法是罪吗？断乎不是！只是非因律法，我就不知何为罪。非律法说不可贪恋，我就不知何为情欲。” 罗马书 7：7 （二）向我们展示对与错之间的区别。上帝的律法就像一面镜子（雅各书1：23-25）。它指出了我们生活中不对的行为，就像镜子显出了我们脸上的污垢一样。唯一有可能让我们知道自己在犯罪的方法就是通过在上帝律法的镜子里仔细地检查自己的生活。活在混乱邪恶世界中的我们能在上帝的十诫中找到平安。它告诉我们该在哪里划清界线！ “耶和华又吩咐我们遵行这一切律例【诫命】。。。使我们常得好处，蒙他保全我们的生命” （申命记 6：24） “求你扶持我，我便得救，时常看重你的律例。凡偏离你律例的人，你都轻弃他们，因为他们的诡诈必归虚空。” （诗篇 119：117，118）。 （三）为了保护我们免受危险和悲剧的伤害。上帝的律法像动物园里牢固的笼子一般，保护我们免受凶猛和残暴的动物侵害。它保护我们免受谬论、杀人、崇拜偶像、偷盗以及许多其他毁灭生命、和平与幸福的罪恶之侵害。所有好的法律都是为了保护人的，而上帝的律法也不例外。 “我们若遵守他的诫命，就晓得是认识他。” （约翰一书 2：3） （四）它帮助我们认识上帝 上帝律法中永恒的原则是由创造我们的上帝在每个人本性的最深处写下的。字迹也许朦胧和不清晰，但确实存在于我们的骨子［gu3zi1] 里。上帝创造我们原是要我们的生活与这些原则一致相符。当我们无视它们时，结果必定是压力、动荡不安和悲剧。就好比无视安全驾驶的规则会导致重伤或死亡一样。 4. 上帝的律法为什么对您个人而言极为重要？ “你们既然要按这自由的律法受审判，就该照这律法说话行事。（雅各书 2：12）。 答： 因为律法的十条诫命是上帝在天上的审判标准。 5. 上帝的律法 (十条诫命）能被修改或废除吗？ “天地废去较比律法的一点一画落空还容易。” （路加福音 16：17） “我必不背弃我的约，也不改变我口中所出的。” （诗篇 89：34） “他的训词都是确实的，是永永远远坚定的 ” （诗篇 111：7，8） 答：不能。圣经无比清楚，上帝的律法是不能改变的。诫命是上帝神圣品格之原则的反映，也是祂国度的基础。只要上帝还活着，祂的律法就依然存在。 此表向我们展示了上帝和祂的律法具有完全相同的特质，揭示了十诫实际上是上帝品格的书面形式，藉着文字让我们可以更加理解上帝。若要改变上帝的律法，就得先把上帝从天国拉下来再改变祂，这当然是不可能的。耶稣以人类的形式来向我们显明律法（即圣洁生活的模式）。上帝的品格永不改变；因此，祂的律法也永远不会改变。 上帝是 律法是 良善 路加福音 18：19 提摩太前书 1：8 圣洁 以赛亚书 5：16 罗马书 7：12 完全 马太福音 5：48 诗篇 19：7 纯洁 约翰一书 3：2，3 诗篇 19：8 正直 申命记 32：4 罗马书 7：12 真实 约翰福音 3：33 诗篇 19：9 属灵 哥林多前书 10：4 罗马书 7：14 公义 耶利米书 23：6 诗篇 119：172 信实 哥林多前书 1：9 诗篇 119：86 爱 约翰一书 4：8 罗马书 13：10 永不改变 雅各书1：17 马太福音 5：18 永恒 创世纪 21：33 诗篇 111：7，8 6. 耶稣在世上时是否废除了上帝的律法？ “莫想我来要废掉律法。。。我来不是要废掉，乃是要成全。。。。就是到天地都废去了，律法的一点一画也不能废去，都要成全。” （马太福音 5：17，18） 答：确实没有！耶稣特别宣称自己不是来废掉律法，而是要成全（落实）。耶稣不但没有废除律法，反而将它放大（以赛亚书 42：21）为圣洁生活的完美指引。比如说，耶稣指出“不可杀人”也包括了不可无缘无故地向你的弟兄动怒（马太福音：21，22）或仇恨你的弟兄（约翰一书 3：15），并且对妇女动淫念也算是犯奸淫的一种（马太福音 5：27，28）。耶稣说：“你若爱我，就必遵守我的命令”（约翰福音 14：15）。 7. 有意持续违反上帝诫命的人是否能得救？ “因为罪的工价乃是死 ” （罗马书 6：23） “耶和华...除灭罪人” （以赛亚书 13：9） “因为凡遵守全律法的，只在一条上跌倒，他就是犯了众条。” (雅各书 2：10） 答：十诫引导我们过圣洁的生活。如果我们忽视其中一条诫命，就等于忽略上帝神圣蓝图中一个重要的部分。如果一条铁链中就算只有一个铁环断裂，则其整个功用将被破坏。圣经说，当我们有意违背上帝的命令时，我们就是在犯罪（雅各书4:17），因为我们拒绝了祂在我们身上的旨意。只有那些遵行祂旨意的人才能进入天国（马太福音 7：21）。当然，上帝会赦免任何真正悔改，接受基督并让祂的力量改变他们的人。 8. 遵守律法可以拯救任何人吗？ “你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是上帝所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。”（以弗所书 2：8，9） 答： 不能！答案是易懂且不容错过的。 遵守律法是无法拯救任何人的。 我们得救是本乎恩典，是上帝藉着耶稣基督赐给我们的一份免费礼物，我们要凭着信心而不是行为来接收这份礼物。 律法是一面镜子，它指出了我们生活中的罪。 就好比镜子可以向你展示脸上的污垢但却无法洗净你的脸一样。我们唯有藉着耶稣基督才能从罪中得到洁净和宽恕。 9. 那为什么律法对于改善基督徒的品格至关重要呢？ “敬畏上帝，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分” （传道书 12：13） “因为律法本是叫人知罪” （罗马书 3：20） 答：因为基督徒生活的整个模式或“所当尽的本分”都包含在上帝的律法中。例如，一个六岁的孩子自己做了一把尺，测量自己的身高，并告诉母亲他身高4米一样，我们自己的测量标准从来都是不安全可靠的。我们若不仔细监察那完美的标准，即上帝的律法的话，就无法晓得自己是不是罪人。许多人认为，即使他们不遵守律法，只要经常做好事，也能得到救恩的保障（马太福音7：21-23）。因此，他们认为自己是公义的，但事实上，他们是迷途的罪人。圣经说， “我们若遵守他的诫命，就晓得是认识他。”（约翰一书 2：3） 10. 是什么使真正悔改的基督徒能够遵循上帝的律法呢？ “我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上” （希伯来书 8：10） “我靠着那加给我力量的” （腓立比书 4：13） 上帝就差遣自己的儿子。。。使律法的义成就在我们这不随从肉体” （罗马书 8：3，4） 答：基督不仅赦免了悔改的罪人，而且还叫他们恢复上帝的形像。祂藉着亲自同在的力量使他们与祂的律法和谐一致。 “不可”这句话成为基督徒不偷盗、不说谎、不杀人等等正面的承诺，因为耶稣住在我们里面并且做主，掌管着我们生命中的一切。上帝不能改变他的道德法则，但祂能藉着耶稣去改变罪人，使我们能达到祂律法的标准。 11. 但一个基督徒如果有信心，况且活在恩典之下，岂不是可以免于遵守律法吗？ “罪必不能作你们的主，因你们不在律法之下，乃在恩典之下。这却怎么样呢？我们在恩典之下，不在律法之下，就可以犯罪吗？断乎不可！”（罗马书 6：14，15） “这样，我们因信废了律法吗？断乎不是！更是坚固律法。” （罗马书 3：31） 答：不！圣经的教导恰恰相反。恩典就好比国王或国家元首对囚犯所施予的宽恕。这个犯法者获得宽恕，并不代表他获得继续犯法的自由。获得宽恕的人，就是活在恩典之下，他会自然而然地因为感激上帝的救恩而心甘情愿地遵守祂的律法。一个拒绝遵守上帝律法，却声称自己活在恩典之下的人，实际上已严重误解了上帝恩典的意义。 12. 上帝的十条诫命是否在新约里也受到了肯定呢？ 答：是的，且非常明显。请仔细观察以下的对照。 旧约中上帝的律法 新约中上帝的律法 1. “除了我以外，你不可有别的神。” （出埃及记 20：3） “当拜主你的上帝，单要侍奉他。” (马太福音 4：10） 2. “不可为自己雕刻偶像；也不可作什么形像仿佛上天、下地和地底下、水中的百物。不可跪拜那些像；也不可侍奉它，因为我耶和华你的上帝，是忌邪的上帝。恨我的，我必追讨他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代；爱我、守我诫命的，我必向他们发慈爱，直到千代。”（出埃及记 20：4-6） “小子们哪，你们要自守，远避偶像。” （约翰一书 5：21）。“我们既是上帝所生的，就不当以为上帝的神性像人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金、银、石。” （使徒行传 17：29） 3. “不可妄称耶和华你上帝的名；因为妄称耶和华名的，耶和华必不以他为无罪。” （出埃及记 20：7） “免得上帝的名和道理被人亵渎。” （提摩太前书 6：1） 4. “当记念安息日，守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是向耶和华你上帝当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜，并你城里寄居的客旅，无论何工都不可作，因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息，所以耶和华赐福与安息日，定为圣日。” （出埃及记 20：8-11） “论到第七日，有一处说：“到第七日，上帝就歇了他一切的工。”这样看来，必另有一安息日的安息，为上帝的子民存留。因为那进入安息的，乃是歇了自己的工，正如上帝歇了他的工一样。” (希伯来书 4：4，9，10） 5. “当孝敬父母，使你的日子在耶和华你上帝所赐你的地上得以长久。” （出埃及记 20：12） “当孝敬父母” （马太福音 19：19） 6. “不可杀人。” （出埃及记 20：13） “不可杀人” （罗马书 13：9） 7. “不可奸淫。” （出埃及记 20：14） “不可奸淫” （马太福音 19：18） 8. “不可偷盗。“ （出埃及记 20：15） “不可偷盗” （罗马书 13：9） 9. “不可作假见证陷害人。” （出埃及记 20：16） “不可作假见证” （罗马书 13：9） 10. “不可贪恋人的房屋；也不可贪恋人的妻子、仆婢、牛驴，并他一切所有的。” （出埃及记 20：17） “不可起贪心” （罗马书 7：7） 13. 上帝的律法和摩西的律法是否相同？ 答： 不。它们各不相同。请研究以下对比。 摩西的律法包括旧约里暂时性的律例、典章、条例、节期与一些具体的献祭方式和制度。这一切都为我们指向了基督在十字架上的牺牲。这些律例都是添上的，“等候那蒙应许的子孙来到”，也就是基督（加拉太书 3：18，19）。摩西律法中的献祭等都是指向基督的牺牲。耶稣的死终结了这些律法，但十条诫命（上帝的律法）却是永永远远坚定的（诗篇 111：8）。但以理书 9：10，11也清楚显示有两种不同的律法。 注：上帝的律法在发生罪恶之前就早已存在了。圣经说：“哪里没有律法，那里就没有过犯【罪】”（罗马书 4：15）。因此，上帝的十诫从起初就存在着。人类违背了上帝的律法（犯罪-约翰一书 3：4）。由于人类犯了罪（或违背上帝的律法），便有摩西的律法赐给了人（或“添上”-加拉太书3：16、19），直到基督降世而牺牲。当中涉及两套分开独立的律法，即上帝的律法和摩西的律法。 摩西的律法 上帝的律法 被称为“摩西律法” （路 2:22) 被称为“耶和华的律法” (以赛亚书 5：24） 被称为“那记在律法上的规条” （弗 2：15） 被称为“至尊的律法” （雅 2：8） 是摩西书上所写的 （代下 35：12） 是上帝用指头写在石版上的（出 31：18） 放在约柜旁（申 31：26） 放在约柜里（出 40：20） 在十架上废掉了（弗 2：15） 永远长存（路 16：17） 为了罪而添上的（加 3：19） 指出罪来（罗 7：7；3：20） 攻击我们，反对我们（西 2：14） 是不难守的（约一 5：3） 不论断任何人（西 2：14-16） 审判所有人（雅 2：10-12） 属肉体的（来 7：16） 属灵的（罗 7：14） 一无所成（来 7：19） 全备的（诗 19：7） 14. 魔鬼如何看待那些在生活中遵行上帝十条诫命的人呢？ “龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的儿女争战，这儿女就是那守上帝诫命，为耶稣作见证的。那时龙就站在海边的沙上。” （启示录 12：17） “圣徒的忍耐就在此，他们是守上帝诫命和耶稣真道的。” （启示录 14：12） 答：魔鬼恨恶那些维护上帝律法的人，因为律法是正当生活的一种模式。因此，他对所有高举上帝律法的人深感憎恨，这一点也不稀奇。在反对上帝圣洁标准的争战中，他甚至利用宗教领袖来否定十诫，同时又鼓吹人的传统。难怪耶稣说：“你们为什么因着你们的遗传，犯上帝的诫命呢？ ...他们将人的吩咐当作道理教导人，所以拜我也是枉然”（马太福音 15：3，9）。大卫说：“这是耶和华做工的时候，因人废了你的律法。”（诗119：126）。基督徒必须醒过来，在自己心中和生活中恢复上帝律法应有的地位。 15. 你认为基督徒必须遵守十条诫命吗？ 希望每一位都能好好思考这一题，及以上所探讨的所有问题，并向上帝做出一个重要的决定。愿我们都能决志遵行上帝的律法，活出祂的旨意来，做祂眼中看为正的事。 现在我们将继续从圣经的角度来讨论并思考一系列极具争议的思考题，看看到底真相是什么，好让我们能在这课题上获得更多知识。 思考题 1. 圣经岂不是说过律法是有瑕疵的吗？ 答： 不对，圣经上说有瑕疵的是人。英文翻译是“finding fault with them”，中文译为“所以主指责他的百姓说……”（希伯来书8：8）这说明上帝所指责的，不是祂旧约中的律法，而是旧约中的以色列民。罗马书8：3说：“律法既因肉体软弱，有所不能行的。” 它说的是同一个意思：律法是全备的，但人是有问题的，或者说是软弱有瑕疵的。所以，上帝差祂的圣子住在世人中间，藉着内住的基督“使律法的义成就在我们...身上。”（罗马书8：4） 2. 加拉太书3章13节说我们被救赎脱离律法的咒诅，这是什么意思呢？ 答：律法的咒诅是死。（罗马书6：23）基督“为人人尝了死味。”（希伯来书2：9）所以，祂救赎我们脱离了律法的咒诅（死亡），而赐给我们永生。 3. 歌罗西书2章14至17节和以弗所书2章15节岂不都说上帝的律法在十字架上终止了吗？ 答：不是，这两段经文是指律法所包含的“规条”，或者说是指摩西的仪文律法，包括规划献祭的仪式与祭司制度的条文。所有这些预指十字架的仪文与礼仪都是按着上帝的旨意所定的，在基督死在十字架上的时候就终止了。摩西的律法是“为过犯添上”的，一直到“那蒙应许的子孙来到”，而那子孙，“就是基督”（加拉太书3：16，19）。这两处经文都不可能指上帝的律法，因为保罗在十字架之后多年，依然说上帝的律法是圣洁、公义、良善的。（罗马书7：8，12） 4. 圣经说：“爱就完全了律法。”（罗马书13：10）在马太福音22章37至40节中，上帝吩咐我们要爱祂和爱人如己，并以“这两条诫命是律法和先知一切道理的总纲”这段话为总结。这些命令是不是取代了十条诫命呢？ 答：不是！十条诫命是系于这两条诫命之上的，如同十根指头系于两只手掌之上的那样，是不可分割的。爱上帝能使遵守前四条诫命成为喜悦之事，而爱人如己的精神则使遵守后六条诫命成为一种快乐。“爱”使遵守诫命变得不再是一种苦役，而成为一种喜乐，这样就完全了律法。（诗篇40：8）若真正的爱上一个人，那么，尊重对方的要求就成了一种快乐的事。耶稣说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。”（约翰福音14：15）一面说爱主，一面又不遵守主的命令，这是不可能的，因为圣经说：“我们遵守上帝的诫命，这就是爱他了，并且他的诫命不是难守的。”（约翰一书5：3）“人若说‘我认识他’，却不遵守他的诫命，便是说谎话的，真理也不在他心里了。”（约翰一书2：4） 5. 哥林多后书3章7节岂不是说刻在石头上的律法被“废掉”了吗？ 答：不是的！这段经文所说的是摩西在律法上的职事之“荣光”被废掉了，而不是律法本身被废掉了。请把哥林多后书3章3至9节再仔细地读一遍，经文所讨论的不是废除律法或是设立律法的问题，而是律法位置的变迁：从刻在石版上，迁到刻在“心版”上。在摩西的职事之下，律法写在石版上。但藉着基督在圣灵的职事下，律法便刻在人的心版上。（希伯来书8：10）学校的校规只有在进入学生的心中时，才会真正奏zou4效。基督在律法上的职事之所以有效，是因为律法转移到了基督徒的心里。这样，遵守律法便成为人生中一种喜乐和欢欣，因为基督徒对上帝与世人都付出了真爱。 6. 罗马书10章4节说“基督是律法的总结”。既作总结了，就结束了，对吗？ 答：“总结”的意思在此处是指目的或目标，它和雅各书5章11节中的“结局”一词的圣经原文相同，指的是目标。很多译本将此处译为“律法的终极是基督”或“基督乃是律法的终极”。意思是说，律法的目的是把人引向基督，使他们能因基督称义，这就是律法的终极目标或目的了。 7. 为什么会有那么多人否定上帝律法的有效性呢？ 答：“原来体贴肉体的，就是与上帝为仇，因为不服上帝的律法，也是不能服。而且属肉体的人不能得上帝的喜欢。如果上帝的灵住在你们心里，你们就不属肉体，乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵，就不是属基督的。” (罗马书 8：7-9） 8. 旧约时期的义人是因律法得救吗？ 答：没有任何人是靠律法得救的。历代以来凡得救的人，都是靠恩典得救。“这恩典是万古之先在基督耶稣里赐给我们的。”（提摩太后书1：9）律法只能指出罪，唯有基督才能救人。挪亚“蒙恩”；（创世记6：8）摩西“蒙恩”；（出埃及记33：17）以色列人在旷野“蒙恩”；（耶利米书33：17）亚伯、以诺、亚伯拉罕、雅各、约瑟以及旧约中许许多多其他的先贤，都是因信靠恩得救的。（希伯来书11章）他们得救是向前瞻望十字架上的基督；而我们得救是向后瞻望十字架上的基督，无论向前向后，都是靠基督得救。律法如同一面镜子，照出我们身上的“污垢”。若没有律法这面镜子，我们虽然“满身污垢”，也可能不知道自己是污秽的罪人。所以，律法是必要的。但是律法没有拯救之能力，只能指出罪来。唯有耶稣才能把人类从罪恶中拯救出来。这是永恒不变的真理，哪怕在旧约时代也是如此。（徒徒行传4：10，12；提摩太后书1：9） 9. 为什么要看重律法呢？良心不是最安全的指南吗？ 答：不是，绝对不是！圣经说，邪恶的良心、有亏的良心或污秽的良心，这些都是不安全的。“有一条路人以为正，至终成为死亡之路。”（箴言14：12）上帝说：“心中自是的，便是愚昧人。”（箴言书28：26） 在结束之前，让我们快速地过目一些测验题，测试自己是否真的明白这一课的内容和重点。 测验题 1. 十条诫命是谁写的？（1） _____ 上帝 _____ 摩西 _____ 无名氏 2. 根据圣经，罪是:（1） _____ 性格上的缺陷。 _____ 违背上帝的律法。 _____ 一切看上去不对的事。 3. 试指出下列有关上帝律法的正确说法：（4） _____ 幸福生活的完美指南。 _____ 像一面镜子指出罪来。 _____ 是个重担，压迫人。 _____ 能保护我远离邪恶。 _____ 与上帝的品格相同。 _____ 在新约中作废了。 _____ 乃是咒诅。 4. 上帝的十诫律法是:（1） _____ 仅仅为旧约时代而制定的。 _____ 被耶稣在十字架上废掉了。 _____ 绝对不变的。 5. 在审判日我要如何才能得救？（1） _____ 保持行善的记录。 _____ 我爱主，守不守十诫没有关系。 _____ 我与耶稣的爱的关系引导我顺服上帝全部的诫命。 6. 人得救是靠着:（1） _____ 遵守律法。 _____ 干犯律法。 _____ 单靠基督耶稣。 7. 真正悔改的基督徒:（1） _____ 藉着基督的能力遵守上帝的律法。 _____ 忽视上帝的律法，因为它已经被废除。 _____ 认为没有必要遵守诫命。 8. 生活在恩典之下的人:（1） _____ 就算违背十诫也不算犯罪。 _____ 无需遵守上帝的诫命。 _____ 愿意遵守上帝的诫命。 9. 爱就完全了律法，是因为:（1） _____ 爱把律法废掉了。 _____ 对上帝与世人的真爱使守律法成为一件乐事。 _____ 爱比听命更重要。 10. 摩西的律法:（1） _____ 与上帝律法相同。 _____ 是指向基督牺牲的仪文律法，在十字架上已被废掉了。 _____ 至今仍有效。 11. 遵守上帝诫命的人:（1） _____ 是律法主义者。 _____ 必为魔鬼所憎恨，因为魔鬼痛恨上帝和祂的圣诫。 _____ 可以靠守律法得救。 12. 指出下列有关基督与律法的正确说法:（4） _____ 耶稣违背了律法。 _____ 耶稣是遵守上帝律法的完美榜样。 _____ 耶稣废除了律法。 _____ 耶稣说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。” _____ 耶稣使律法为大为尊，表明律法涵盖了一切罪。 _____ 耶稣说律法是不会改变的。 总结来说，上帝的律法是祂品格的书面形式，是永不改变的。上帝的律法和摩西的律法不同。摩西的律法是指向基督的牺牲，且在十字架上已经终结了，而上帝的律法则是永永远远坚定的。遵守律法不能叫我们得救，但是它像一面镜子，能让我们知道自己的污秽和罪，使我们晓得自己需要耶稣。因为唯有因着信，靠着上帝白白赐下在耶稣里的恩典，我们才能得救。活在恩典之下的我们，更应心甘情愿，靠着耶稣在我们里面的力量遵守上帝的律法。上帝把祂的律法赐给我们作为生活的指南，让我们能辨别是非对错，使我们避免罪恶的侵害。愿我们都能活在上帝的旨意中，做上帝喜悦的儿女。愿上帝赐福于每一位，阿门。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Is Jesus a Real Son and God a Real Father Is Jesus a real Son and God a real Father? The trinity doctrine teaches 3 gods that are co-equal and co-eternal which are a 3 in 1 god. Does anyone stop to think and realize this means God cannot really be a Father and Jesus cannot really be His Son. If Jesus has always existed alongside the Father then He cannot be a Son, and if Jesus is not a Son, then God cannot be a Father. So it denies the Son of God which therefore denies the Father also. This denial of the Father and Son is what John called antichrist. 1 John 2:22-23. So those who teach the doctrine of the trinity make God and His Son and His Word one big lie. How many times does the Bible have to state that God is the Father of Christ and that Christ is the Son of God before one will believe it? Is there any other doctrine that discards so much Scripture? Hundreds of Scriptures suddenly become obsolete. Why would anyone in their right mind think this is acceptable? Trinitarians often claim that Jesus is only called the Son of God because of His birth in Bethlehem. But being born in human flesh, Christ became the “Son of man” at His incarnation, not the “Son of God” which He already was. Scripture reveals many times and in many ways that Jesus was God’s Son “before” God sent Him into the world, not after. The following two verses for instance say that God sent His Son into the world. Hence He was already God's Son before He sent Him. “because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17 Scripture also states that Jesus was the Son of God before all things were created. Paul wrote in regards to Christ that, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15 NKJV Over and over and over and over again we are told they are a Father and Son. And yet the Trinitarian camps on a few verses that can be abused and misunderstood in favour of discarding hundreds of unmistakable verses. They have no trouble in destroying this beautiful Father and Son relationship in favour of a Satanic doctrine just as Satan planned. It is his counterfeit doctrine that he had put in place by the Catholic Church more than 200 years AFTER the Bible was written. It is Satan’s creation to have Christians deny that Jesus is a literal Son and hence that God is a literal Father to steal our souls. The Bible says if you deny Jesus is the literal Son of God that you cannot enter the kingdom. In the Bible we find that Christ is called the “Son of God” 48 times, “only begotten” 6 times, “firstborn” 4 times and “the firstbegotten” 1 time. Not once does the Bible even so much as hint that Jesus is only a Son in a metaphorical sense. The Bible means what it says and says what it means as does Ellen White. And she stated, “God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God.” — (E.G. White, 8T 268.3) “The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty,” — (E.G. White, Ms140, Sept 27, 1903) John 5:26 also tells us that the Father gave life to His Son. “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26 If Jesus had always existed alongside the Father as the Trinity doctrine claims, then God could not have given life to His Son as He would have always had life. But Scripture reveals this is impossible. Is it really that hard to understand Satan’s goal here where this pagan 3 in 1 god idea means God is NOT really a Father, and Jesus is NOT really a Son, and the “Spirit OF God” is not really His Spirit at all but something called “god the spirit?” This is what the human mind cannot understand and they say it is a mystery and we must just accept it and not question it. We should all know what spirit tells us that lie. And compared to what? There is no mystery with the real truth that Scripture tells us over and over again. God the Father really is a Father, and the Son of God really is the Son of God, and the Spirit of God really is the Spirit of God. So simple and exactly what God's Word keeps telling us. I pray that your eyes can see and that you come to the understanding of what Satan has done in trying to obscure the truth that Jesus really is God's Son. SOP tells us that Satan hates God's Son and wants us to deny that Jesus really is the literal Son of God. If we do that, Scripture says we have no access to the Father. Thus there is a lot more to this then meets the eye that most do not stop to think about. Those who have studied this and found the truth are desperately reaching out to try and save souls. No one should object to that and it is a very sad day when people do. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Father and Son Relationship and Divine Pattern Father and Son Relationship and Divine Pattern Father is the source of all things. Ephesian 4:6 – One God, and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. John 17:3 – And this is life eternal, that thee might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 2 Corinthian 1:3 – Blessed be God, even the father our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies , and the God of all comfort. 2 John 1:3 – Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the father, in truth and love. 1Timothy 6:16 – Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honoured and power everlasting. Amen. Son is the channel of all the father gives him. John 5.26 – For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the son to hath life in himself. The eternal, everlasting, immortal life. 1 John 5:11 – God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. God is the source of all life, because he has given this life to his son Jesus Christ, he can give life to others whenever he wants. John 5:21 – For as the father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. John 5: 25 –When the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall live. Not only immortal life, but all things had given to Jesus Christ. Matthew 11:27 – All things are delivered unto me of my father. John 3:35 – The Father loveth his son, and hath given all things into his hands. Philippians 2:9 – Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. 10 – That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth and things under the earth. 11—That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Matthew 28:18 – All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 1 Corinthians 15:27 – For he hath put all things under his feet. Hebrews 1:2 – Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. He is a channel by whom and through whom all things from the father flow to his creations. This is the patterns, from the beginning. Genesis 1:26 – God said, let us make man in our image and after our likeness. Ephesian 3:9 – God who created all things by Jesus Christ. Then God made man in his own image. 1 Timothy 2:13 -- Adam was first formed. Genesis 2:18 -- But God see that it is not good that the man should be alone. So the woman came forth out of man as part of his very own body. Eve was not created from nothing but was taken out from Adam’s side, his bosom, she was essentially existed in Adam, a part of him, before she was taken out. She became the express image of Adam. So also the word, Jesus is the unique son of God, begotten of the father, taken from his bosom. Genesis 3:20 – Adam named his wife, Eve because she was the mother of all living. Adam was the source, Eve was the channel, by whom, through whom Adam became the father of our race. Eve was the same substance as Adam, both equal in nature, she was just as human as he was, but Eve was begotten in a different manner than all other human births. So too the Son of God, begotten of this Father, they both have the same divine substance, both equal in nature, Christ is just as divine as his father. But the son was begotten in a different manner, back in eternity. Christ gave us his spirit, just as Adam gave Eve his rib, we are part of Christ, we partake of his divine nature, we are born again, Christ in us, we have his character. As Adam and Eve was one flesh, so also the Father and Son are one spirit. John 1:1 – In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word as God. Word = God? Word+ God? Pros ton theon, kai theos hen ho logos. With the God, and God was the Word John speaks the same way in his first epistle. 1 John 1:1—That which was from the beginning, the word of life, that eternal life which was with the father. (Pros ton Patera) The word was with the God, the only true God of whom are all things, John did not say, the word was the God. Now we use the same grammatical structure but with different subjects. In the beginning was the women, and the women was with the human, and the woman was human. Adam= Name Human= Adam and Eve # The woman Eve was human in nature, not the man in indentity, Eve was not Adam, they were 2 separate persons. 2 individual identities. The same divine, Godly nature are possessed by both the father and son. The son was not the God, but he has God’s divine nature by inheritance. Illustrations: 1. Father is the root, Jesus is the branch, we cannot see the root, but we can see the branch and the fruits beared the branch has the same nature, substance, quality as the root, the root is the source, the branch is the expression and channel from which comes more branches. 2. The mountain and the stone ( Zechariah 4:7) Zerubbabel and Joshua the Father is the mountain, Jesus is a stone from the mountain. The stone is just as old as the mountain, they have the same substance, nature, character. It is as hard and enduring as the mountain because it came out of the mountain. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top