Recently, a pastor in northern China shared through Bible verses why Christians should behave out of love, encouraging them to help those in need so as to live out the gospel.
The pastor quoted from the peace offering in Hebrews 13:10-16 as a way to exhort Christians to do good works. The peace offering, also called the thanksgiving offering, is to thank God for His blessing, salvation, or guidance in our lives. The lamb offered at the peace offering is not burned up but shared with neighbors. This means that the Christians’ thanksgiving to God is not just lip service, but is offered to God and to share with others. In practical applications, we must behave like the apostle said: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews13:15-16 NIV)
He exhorted that Christians should not only love their fellow members in the Lord but also love everyone, according to 2 Peter 1:3-7.
"In fact, it is easier for the Chinese to love their friends and relatives and not care about those they are not familiar with. It is basically impossible by human nature to love all people, but we can love all people when we participate in the divine nature, and that is also God's idea,” he said.
Citing Luke 10:29-37, the pastor urged Christians to be others' neighbors.
"It is more important for us to be others' neighbors than think about 'who is our neighbor?' You must always be the neighbors of those in need, to love, care and help them whether they are your neighbors or not. This is the real practice of the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself."
The pastor added, "The core of the gospel is the righteousness of God. Charity is the righteousness we have to live out. Obey the Holy Spirit and God's words to live out the righteousness revealed in the gospel. In short, we live the life of the gospel by doing good and sharing with others.”
He concluded that Christians should not merely listen to the word but deceive themselves because godliness should be presented by practical actions.
- Translated by Wylie Sun
日前，华北一位牧者藉着圣经新旧约中的经文，分享基督徒为何需要有爱心行动，并鼓励大家帮助有需要的人，活出福音的生命。
首先，这位牧者引用希伯来书13：10-16节平安祭的经文，藉此来劝勉基督徒应当做行善捐输的事。平安祭也叫做感谢祭，是感谢神在我们生命中的祝福、救赎或引导，平安祭所献上的羊羔不是焚烧殆尽而是要和邻舍一起分享。这就意味着基督徒向着神的感谢不只是停留在口头上的赞美和颂赞，而是要以行动、分享为感谢祭献给神。在实际生活应用上，就要像使徒所说的一样：“我们应当靠着耶稣，常常以颂赞为祭献给神，这就是那承认主名之人嘴唇的果子。只是不可忘记行善，和捐输的事。因为这样的祭，是神所喜悦的。”（来13：15-6）
随后，牧者引用了彼得后书1：3-7节的经文劝勉大家说，基督徒的爱心不可只流淌在主内的弟兄姐妹当中，也要面向众人。我们若要与神的性情有份，不单单是有信心、德行、知识、节制、忍耐、虔诚和爱弟兄的心，还有加上爱众人的心。
他说到，“其实，中国人比较容易爱那些与自己有关的人；但那些与自己无关的人，便真的与自己毫无关系了。虽然从我们人的败坏来讲，爱众人是很难的，基本是不可能的。但是当我们与神的性情有份的时候，我们就可以去爱众人，这也是神的心意。”
牧师借着路加福音10：29-37的经文劝勉基督徒要成为别人的邻舍。这段经文中，主耶稣特别的问到：“哪一个是落在强盗手中的邻舍呢？”比起“谁是我们的邻舍？”更加重要的是我们要成为别人的邻舍。不是当人成为你的邻舍你才要去爱他们，而是你时时刻刻都要成为有需要的人的邻舍，去爱护、关心和帮助他们，这才是真正实践出了爱人如己的诫命。
那么，基督徒的爱心行动又和我们所得到的福音有怎样的关系？
这位牧师分享说：“福音的核心是神的义。……爱心行动就是我们要活出的义，依靠对圣灵的顺服、对话语的顺服，来活出福音所揭示的义，换句话讲活出福音的生命——行善与捐输。”
最后，他借用雅各书1：26-27的经文鼓励基督徒不单听道而要行道，因为真正的虔诚是活出来的，要活出福音的生命。
华北一牧者以新旧约经文劝勉基督徒：“爱心行动就是我们要活出的义”
Recently, a pastor in northern China shared through Bible verses why Christians should behave out of love, encouraging them to help those in need so as to live out the gospel.
The pastor quoted from the peace offering in Hebrews 13:10-16 as a way to exhort Christians to do good works. The peace offering, also called the thanksgiving offering, is to thank God for His blessing, salvation, or guidance in our lives. The lamb offered at the peace offering is not burned up but shared with neighbors. This means that the Christians’ thanksgiving to God is not just lip service, but is offered to God and to share with others. In practical applications, we must behave like the apostle said: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews13:15-16 NIV)
He exhorted that Christians should not only love their fellow members in the Lord but also love everyone, according to 2 Peter 1:3-7.
"In fact, it is easier for the Chinese to love their friends and relatives and not care about those they are not familiar with. It is basically impossible by human nature to love all people, but we can love all people when we participate in the divine nature, and that is also God's idea,” he said.
Citing Luke 10:29-37, the pastor urged Christians to be others' neighbors.
"It is more important for us to be others' neighbors than think about 'who is our neighbor?' You must always be the neighbors of those in need, to love, care and help them whether they are your neighbors or not. This is the real practice of the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself."
The pastor added, "The core of the gospel is the righteousness of God. Charity is the righteousness we have to live out. Obey the Holy Spirit and God's words to live out the righteousness revealed in the gospel. In short, we live the life of the gospel by doing good and sharing with others.”
He concluded that Christians should not merely listen to the word but deceive themselves because godliness should be presented by practical actions.
- Translated by Wylie Sun
Pastor: 'Charity Lives Out Righteousness Revealed in the Gospel'
