1. Hello listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。

2. Welcome back to this broadcast on the awesomeness of the grace of God.
欢迎你再次收听“奇异神恩”这个专题系列信息。

3. I want to begin by telling you about an incident that took place some years ago.
让我先讲一件几年前发生的事。

4. During a conference on religion in Great Britain,
在英国举行的一个信仰研讨会上，

5. experts from around the world debated the following question.
从世界各处来的专家在辩论一个问题，

6. What, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith?
如果有的话，基督教信仰的独特性何在？

7. They began by eliminating the possibilities.
他们先用排除法开始，

8. Incarnation.
关于道成肉身。

9. Other religions, claim that their gods appeared in human form.
其它的宗教，也有宣称他们的神以人的形式显现的。

10. Miracles.
关于神迹。

11. Other religions claimed all sorts of miracles.
其它宗教，宣称各类的神迹。

12. And the so debate continued.
他们继续辩论。

13. until C. S. Lewis, the famous author and theologian wandered into the room.
直到著名作家及神学家刘易斯进入房间，

14. He asked what was going on.
他问发生了甚么事情，

15. His colleagues told him that they were trying to discover what was unique about Christianity.
他的同伴告诉他，他们正在探讨基督教的独特性。

16. Lewis’ response was simple and to the point.
刘易斯的回应很简单，并且一针见血。

17. he said: “That is easy, it is grace.”
他说：答案很浅显，就是恩典。

18. and he left the room.
于是他就离开了。

19. I am sure that I would have loved to have been in that room after he left.
我真希望自己当时也在场，他离开以后。

20. The group continued their debate for quite a while.
专家们仍然继续辩论了一会儿。

21. And they finally they concluded that grace does distinguish Christianity.
最后他们的结论是：恩典的确是基督教的特色。

22. For the God of the universe to give His grace freely is truly unique.
因为宇宙之神白白赐恩典给人，这确实是独一无二的。

23. For the God of the universe to save a sinner by grace alone with no strings attached goes against every human instinct.
因为宇宙之神只靠恩典，并无别的附带条件地拯救罪人，这是违反人的本性的。

24. For God to love freely and expect nothing in return, runs contrary to every other religious system in the world.
因为神的博爱，不问回报的恩情，与世界其它宗教信仰是相反的。

25. Only Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God can offer God’s unconditional love.
惟有耶稣基督，永生神的儿子，能够赐下神无条件的爱。

26. Only Jesus Christ the God of very God in human flesh could be so extravagant in His generosity of Grace.
惟有耶稣基督，真神成为人的肉身，才可以这样慷慨地施恩。

27. Only Jesus Christ through whom the world was created would give freely His saving Grace.
惟有耶稣基督，创造这个世界的主，才会白白施行救恩。

28. What is this grace? And how is it given with no strings attached?
这恩典是甚么呢？怎么可能得到这恩典，而没有任何附带条件呢？

29. We saw in the last broadcast, how the God of grace saved Adam and Eve, despite their refusal to obey God.
我们上次节目讲过神的恩典是如何拯救亚当和夏娃的，纵然他们拒绝顺服神。

30. We saw how His grace extended to them in 3 ways.
我们看见神的恩典从三方面临到他们身上。

31. God extended His grace by not letting them physically die as they were supposed to.
神的恩典，首先是免他们应有的刑罚，就是肉身的死亡。

32. Secondly,
第二，

33. God extended His grace by promising them the coming Messiah.
神的恩典，应许给他们一位弥赛亚。

34. Thirdly,
第三，

35. God extended His grace by shedding the blood of an innocent animal to cover their nakedness of sin.
因神的恩典，一只无辜的动物被宰杀，用牠的血来遮盖犯罪后赤身露体的羞耻。

36. The Bible says,
圣经说，

37. that every human being that is born, is born with Adam and Eve’s genes of sin.
人人生下来都遗传了亚当和夏娃的罪的遗传基因。

38. The Bible says,
圣经说，

39. that just as we do inherit our ancestor’s genes, we have inherited Adam and Eve’s genes.
这正如我们承受了祖先的遗传基因，也遗传了亚当和夏娃的犯罪基因。

40. Those genes are manifested, in the way we come out of the womb, declaring independence.
我们打出娘胎开始，那基因就不断长大，直到完全成熟。

41. These genes are manifested, in the way our pride rules supreme.
这些遗传基因的长大，使我们渐渐妄自尊大。

42. In Ephesian 2:1-10, the apostle Paul summarizes how we are saved and rescued, from what these genes can do to us.
以弗所书2章1至10节，使徒保罗总结了我们是如何摆脱原罪而得救的。

43. Let’s read it together.
请大家和我一起读。

44. One of you my listening friends may be asking.
可能有听众会问，

45. Why do we need to be rescued from the inherited “sin genes”?
我们为甚么需要从遗传的犯罪基因中被拯救出来。

46. As we saw in the last broadcast:
正如上次节目中我们所谈过的，

47. God’s justice declared those if those “sin genes” are not dealt with.
神的公义，宣告了那些没有处理的犯罪基因的结局，

48. the consequences are eternal torment and punishment.
他们的结局是永远的折磨和刑罚。

49. The courts of Heaven have declared that unless those “sin genes”are done away with.
天上的审判也宣告，除非人解决罪的问题，

50. we have a dismal future of utter loneliness and bleak darkness ahead of us.
否则我们将会有悲惨的收场，也就是完全的孤独，和永远的黑暗。

51. There are some people who would say:
有些人可能会说：

52. “Yes, we agree that the “sin gene” has consequences.”
是的，我们同意罪的基因会带来恶果这种说法，

53. But they think that the way to deal with this “sin gene” is to do some good works.
但是他们以为行善积德便可以了，

54. Why do they say this?
为甚么他们会这样说呢？

55. Because they hope that their good works will help alleviate the consequences of the “sin genes.”
因为他们希望行善积德可以减轻罪的恶果，

56. There are others that teach: “Yes, Jesus died on the cross.
还有人会说：“是的，耶稣死在十字架上，

57. but you have to atone for your own sin, by doing certain things.”
但你仍然要为自己的罪做些事来补偿，

58. Others teach:
也有人说：

59. “Oh yes, Jesus forgives but you have to earn His forgiveness.”
噢，是的，耶稣宽恕人，但你要努力来赚取祂的宽恕。

60. Others say:
又有人说：

61. “Oh yes, redemption is made possible by the cross but you have to buy your redemption.”
噢，是的，救赎是在于十字架，但你需要买回你的救赎。

62. The problem with these false teachings is that they are contrary to the Bible.
这些错误说法的问题﹐在于它们与圣经相违背。

63. The Bible tells us that: No one can climb up into God’s chamber.
圣经说没有人能够进入神的至圣所。

64. No one can earn God’s favor,
没有人能够赚取神的喜悦。

65. No one can buy his way or her way into Heaven.
没有人能够用钱买到进天堂的门票。

66. That is an impossibility!
那是不可能的！

67. God is the one who has to come to us.
神是曾经来到我们中间的那一位，

68. And that is what sets Christianity apart.
这就是基督教的独一无二之处，

69. Let me give you an illustration.
让我举个例子，

70. A child’s description of an elevator explains what the Bible means when it tells us that God comes to us.
有一个小孩用升降机来形容圣经所说的，神来到人中间，

71. The boy said, “I got into this little room and the upstairs came down.”
那小孩说：“我进入一个小房间，然后上一层楼降了下来。”

72. God is the One who comes to us,
神就是来到人中间的那一位。

73. we do not climb up to God.
我们不用爬上去找神，

74. It wasn’t long ago that I read a story about a man who was obsessed with meeting Queen Elizabeth II.
不久前我曾经读过一个故事，说有一个人朝思暮想，要见伊利沙伯女皇。

75. This man slipped through the most incredible security shield of Buckingham palace.
这个人偷偷地穿过白金汉宫的警卫网，

76. and entered into the Queen’s chambers.
并进入了女皇的寝室。

77. When she got there at nighttime, there he was in her private sitting room.
夜间当女皇突然发觉有人闯进了她的卧室。

78. He was waiting to see her and talk to her.
他正等着和女皇说话。

79. She immediately had the guards arrest him and remove him to prison.
女皇却立即喊守卫，拘捕他入监牢。

80. My friend, no one can climb into God’s chamber uninvited.
亲爱的朋友，没有神的准许，无人能够爬入神的内室。

81. We can only meet Him, when he comes down to us.
除非祂来到我们中间，否则我们无法见祂。

82. In Ephesians chapter 2,
在以弗所书第二章中，

83. the Apostle Paul summarizes the way in which God comes to us and rescues us through His son the Lord Jesus Christ.
使徒保罗讲到神来到人间，借着神的儿子主耶稣基督拯救我们。

84. Paul gives us 3 things, that you must understand about God’s grace in the life of a Christian.
保罗要我们必须明白神的恩典在基督徒生命中所作的三件事。

85. First – ,
第一，

86. God’s grace takes away our dismal past.
神的恩典除去我们悲惨的过去。

87. Secondly –
第二，

88. God’s grace gives us a glorious present.
神的恩典给我们一个荣耀的现在。

89. Thirdly –
第三，

90. God’s grace leads us to a stupendous future.
神的恩典领我们进入一个伟大的未来。

91. How did God’s grace take away our dismal past?
神的恩典如何除去我们悲惨的过去呢？

92. The Apostle Paul said that our inherited sinful genes made us to be born spiritually dead.
使徒保罗说由于罪的遗传，我们生下来时，灵性已是死亡的。

93. Of course there are some people who say:
当然有些人会说：

94. “Yes, there is something wrong with the human race,
是的，人类是有不对的地方，

95. but nothing that science and technology cannot cure.”
但科学和技术一定可以医治。

96. Science and technology have never eliminated diseases, they have discovered more.
其实科学和技术永不可以消除疾病，只会发现更多的疾病。

97. Science and technology have never eliminated poverty.
科学和技术永不可以消除贫穷。

98. Science and technology have never been able to overcome death.
科学和技术永不可以胜过死亡。

99. And then there are others who say:
也有其它人这样说：

100. “In my natural state before Christ, I was like a man in a ditch;
在基督面前，原来的我好像是跌进深坑里的一个人，

101. and could not climb out of it by myself,
自己不能爬出来。

102. until Jesus came and He took my hand and pulled me out.”
直到耶稣用手来拉我。

103. That could not be further from the truth.
这彷佛就是真理了。

104. The Bible says,
然而圣经说，

105. “We were dead in sin.”
我们死在过犯罪恶之中，

106. Please tell me how can a dead person stretch out his hand?
请你告诉我，一个死人怎能伸出手来，

107. Please tell me how can a dead person even know that he is in a ditch?
请你告诉我，一个死人怎能意识到他仍然在坑里，

108. Before God’s grace came into our lives,
在神的恩典还未进入我们生命之前，

109. we were spiritual corpses.
我们的灵性是死的。

110. Before God’s grace came into our lives,
在神的恩典还未进入我们生命之前，

111. we could not make one move toward God or respond to God.
我们并不能向神迈进一步，也不会响应神。

112. Until God’s grace breathed spiritual life into our dead spiritual corpse, we could not even move.
直到神的恩典向我们已死的灵吹气，否则我们就动弹不得。

113. This spiritual death is a very strange type of death.
这属灵的死亡是很奇怪的一种死亡。

114. Let me explain.
我来解释一下，

115. While the person before Christ was spiritually dead,
如果一个在基督面前灵性死亡的人，

116. yet this person was up and about and actively proclaiming his or her independence from God.
他会拼命要摆脱神的管治，

117. Listen again to verses 1 and 2 of Ephesians 2,
我们来看以弗所书2章1-2节，

118. What is Paul saying?
保罗在说甚么？

119. Paul is saying that before the grace of God,
保罗在说，在神的恩典临到你之前，

120. You were a dead man walking.
你只是行尸走肉，

121. You were a dead woman walking.
你只是个活死人。

122. You were like a zombie.
你像是僵尸一样。

123. Do you know what a zombie is?
你知道僵尸是怎样的吗？

124. A zombie is a person of fiction and myth who has died but is still on his feet walking around.
僵尸是小说和神话中描述的死人，却仍然能行走。

125. In fact, the zombie literature is so gruesome. I won’t get into it.
实际上，僵尸的传说令人毛骨悚然。

126. Before God’s grace comes into our lives,
在神的恩典还未进入我们生命中的时候，

127. we were not only dead men and women walking,
我们不单止好像行尸走肉，

128. but also we were enslaved to sin.
而且是罪的奴隶。

129. In Ephesians 2:2Paul said,
以弗所书2章2节，保罗说：

130. We were enslaved to the world’s system and the evil spirit who controls this world’s system.
我们行事为人随从世界的潮流，而邪灵是管辖这个世界的潮流。

131. We thought like the unbelievers think.
我们的思想好像不信的人一样。

132. We talked like the unbelievers talk.
我们说话好像不信的人一样。

133. We were filled with greed, hatred, lust, arrogance and self-assertion.
我们充满贪婪，仇恨，欲念，傲慢和自以为是。

134. We had no room for God.
我们没有空间留给神。

135. But before we run out of time, I want to ask you a question.
但在节目结束之前，我想问你一个问题。

136. Has God been speaking to you about repenting of your sin?
神是否曾经对你说话，叫你认罪悔改呢？

137. Don’t harden your heart.
千万不要硬着心，

138. Because this is God’s way of quickening your spirit for its dead state.
因为这是神要使你死了的灵活过来。

139. Will you say, “yes, Lord Jesus, come into my life!”
你会不会说，是的，主耶稣，请进入我的生命里！

140. It is our prayer that you do.
但愿你会这样做，

141. Tune in next time to learn more about our dismal past and how God’s grace saves us from it.
下次我们会讲更多关于神的恩典﹐是如何将我们从悲惨的过去中拯救出来的信息。欢迎你继续收听。

142. Until then, I wish you God’s richest blessing
愿神大大的赐福给你，下次再会！