SECTION A
甲部
1. We welcome you once again to this broadcast.
我们再次欢迎你收听这个节目，
2. We are delighted that you have been able to stay with us and listen to these broadcasts as they come to you every week.
很高兴你每次都能抽空收听这个节目，
3. It is our prayer that God is using these words of the Scripture to bless your life.
我们祈求神用这些圣经的话语赐福给你。
4. And once again we are going to turn our eyes to II Timothy.
今天我们会继续看提摩太后书。
5. And again I want to start by asking you a question.
让我在开始时先问你一个问题，
6. Have you ever had an identity crisis?
你有没有经历过“自我确认”的危机？
7. The way to know if you have an identity crisis is this way.
用以下的方法就可测试你有没有经历过“自我确认”的危机，
8. Do you know who you are?
你知道你是谁吗？
9. Do you know what you believe?
你知道你相信什么吗？
10. Do you know where you came from?
你知道你从哪里来的吗？
11. Do you know where you are going?
你知道你往哪里去吗？
12. I think there are Christians who think that a Christian is the one who makes it to church regularly,
有些基督徒以为，能定期到教会去的人，就是基督徒了，
13. That person has an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
14. The person who believes that the Christian is the one who just goes and sits in the pews and catches up on his sleep,
若有人以为，只要到教会坐坐，甚至打瞌睡的人都是基督徒，
15. That person is having an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
16. The person who thinks that a Christian is the one who goes to church in order to be seen,
若有人以为自己到教会去，只是让人知道他是基督徒，
17. That person has an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
18. The one who thinks that being a Christian is to identify with a church or a denomination,
若有人以为属于某间教会或某个宗派就是基督徒了，
19. That person has an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
20. Yet there are some others who think,
还有其他人这么认为，
21. That a Christian is a person who goes along to get along,
基督徒就是很随和的人，
22. Just being kind to his neighbors,
他们敦亲睦邻，
23. He sees no evil and hears no evil and speaks no evil,
他不看、不听、不说罪恶的事，
24. This is all fine,
这样就没事了，
25. That person has an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
26. Still there are others who think that a Christian is the one who is a person who happens to be born in a Christian family.
还有些人以为，生长在信基督教的家庭里，便是基督徒了，
27. That person has an identity crisis.
这个人是在“自我确认”的危机中。
28. No wonder there are so many identity crisis’ in the world today.
难怪今天世界上有那么多的“自我确认”的危机。
29. I remember a man who went to a convention,
我想起有一个人去开会，
30. And in these conventions, they put nametags on so they can recognize each other’s names,
在会场里，各人胸前要戴上姓名卡作为识别，
31. And this particular person had two nametags on each side.
而这个人却戴上两个姓名卡。
32. And when somebody asked him why two nametags,
有人问他为什么有两个姓名卡，
33. He said because I am having an identity crisis.
他说，因为他有“自我确认”的危机。
34. These people are suffering because they are confused about who they are.
这些人搞不清楚自己到底是谁，因此感到十分痛苦。
35. Others like to characterize Christians who are not committed to Christ as nominal Christians,
另外有人形容那些不热心的基督徒为名义上的基督徒，
36. Or they sometimes refer to him as a Christian in name only,
或者有时称他为挂名的基督徒，
37. Or they can say, well he is just half Christian.
或称他为半个基督徒。
38. I want to tell you, this does not make sense,
让我告诉你，那是说不通的，
39. Either you are a Christian or you are not,
你要么是基督徒，要么不是基督徒，
40. A woman cannot be half pregnant.
一个女人不可能怀半个胎。
41. The Bible does not say,
圣经并没有说：
42. That if you repent to a certain degree,
如果你悔改到某个程度，
43. That you will be damned to a certain extent.
那你只需要受某个限度的刑罚。
44. That is the gospel according to the devil.
这是魔鬼虚假的理论。
45. It doesn’t mean that Christians will not wander off sometimes.
这不是说基督徒不会步入歧途，
46. It doesn’t mean that some Christians may go through a period of time in their life when they are disobedient to God’s word.
这不是说，基督徒可以在他人生中的某个阶段，过着违背神的生活，
47. But when they go through these periods in their lives.
而是当他们在某个时期违背神时，
48. They know deep down that they are in the wilderness of disobedience,
他们深知道自己是落在叛逆神的旷野中。
49. So what is the identity of the Christian then?
那么，基督徒的身分是什么？
50. A Christian is the person who repents of his sins,
基督徒是认罪悔改的人，
51. Surrender his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
是将生命的主权交给耶稣基督的人。
52. A Christian is the person who must acknowledge that without Jesus’ dying on the cross for his sins,
基督徒必须承认，若非借着主耶稣为他的罪死在十字架上，
53. He will not go to heaven.
他就不能进天堂。
54. And in this series of messages entitled Don’t Ever Give Up.
而在这个“永不放弃”的系列信息里，
55. The apostle Paul does not want Timothy to go through an identity crisis.
使徒保罗不希望提摩太经历“自我确认”的危机。
56. He must know who he is,
他必须知道自己是谁，
57. Where he came from,
他从哪里来，
58. And where he is going.
他往哪里去。
59. So he carefully chooses certain imagery to explain to him the life of a Christian.
于是保罗选择了几个比喻，向提摩太解释，什么是基督徒的生命。
60. These images are found in chapter two of II Timothy,
在提摩太后书第二章就可找到这些比喻，
61. And they are six in number.
共有六个。
62. If you understand this imagery,
如果你明白这些比喻，
63. And if you are able to apply it to your life,
又能够应用在生活上，
64. I can promise you, you will not have an identity crisis.
我保证你不会有“自我确认”的危机。
65. This session I am going to talk to you about two of these imageries,
今天我要讲其中两个比喻，
66. And in the coming weeks, I will talk to you about the others.
在以后的节目中，我会讲其余的。
67. But here are the six,
一共有六个比喻，
68. The first imagery is that image of the soldier,
第一就是军人的比喻，
69. And the second one is of the farmer
第二是农夫的比喻，
70. The third one is the athlete,
第三是运动员的比喻，
71. Then it is the laborer,
然后是工人，
72. Then it is the vessel,
器皿，
73. And lastly the picture of the servant.
最后是作仆人的比喻。
74. We saw in the later part of chapter one,
我们从第一章最后的部份看见，
75. The sorrowful conditions of the Christians in Asia minor.
在小亚细亚的基督徒可悲的情况。
76. We saw a wide-spread defection from the faith,
我们看见许多基督徒离弃了信仰，
77. We saw that there was a fear of identifying with the apostle Paul.
我们看见有人害怕与使徒保罗认同，
78. Some were embarrassed by Paul’s chains and imprisonment.
有人因保罗被捆锁、被监禁而感到耻辱。
79. We also saw their fear of losing their prestige in society,
我们看见有人害怕失去社会名望，
80. And they were ashamed lest they were called names because of their upholding of the truth of the gospel.
他们因持守福音真理被人讥笑而感到羞耻。
81. And here in chapter two verse 1,
在第二章第一节那里：
82. Paul urges Timothy,
保罗劝勉提摩太，
83. That in the middle of this identity crisis,
在这样的“自我确认”的危机下，
84. That is impacting a lot of people in the church,
教会里许多人受到冲击，
85. Timothy must stand his ground,
提摩太必须站稳立场，
86. He must resist the prevailing mood.
他必须抵抗这股潮流，
87. He must not succumb to the temptation.
他决不可屈服于试探之下，
88. He must not give up like the others.
他决不能像其他人那样放弃。
89. As if Paul to be saying to Timothy the following,
保罗就好像对提摩太这么说，
90. Timothy,
提摩太，
91. Never mind what others are thinking.
不在乎别人的想法，
92. Never mind what others are saying.
不在乎别人所说的话，
93. Never mind what others are doing.
不在乎别人的做法，
94. Never mind how weak and shy you may feel.
不在乎你是多软弱，多害羞，
95. As for you Timothy,
而是你，提摩太，
96. Be strong!
要刚强！
97. Can you feel the Lord saying the same thing to you?
你是否感觉到神对你说同样的话呢？
98. And he’s calling you by name,
祂呼唤你的名字，
99. And saying, as for you, you be strong!
对你说，至于你，你要刚强！
SECTION B
乙部
1. How is Timothy to be strong?
提摩太怎样刚强起来？
2. How are you to be strong?
你怎样刚强起来？
3. Do you just grit your teeth?
是不是要你咬紧牙关，
4. Or put your chin up,
抬头挺胸，
5. Or pull yourself together?
整个人振作起来？
6. No.
不是。
7. Telling a fearful person not to be afraid,
叫一个惊慌的人不要害怕，
8. Or to the anxious person, not to worry,
或叫一个忧心忡忡的人不要担忧，
9. Is like telling a horse to fly,
就好像叫只马去飞一样，
10. Or you telling a turtle to run.
或是叫乌龟去跑一样。
11. So what is the answer?
那么，答案是什么？
12. It is in verse 1,
就在第一节，
13. Of chapter 2,
第二章，
14. Of II Timothy.
提摩太后书，
15. There he tells him exactly where he can get his strength.
这里，保罗清清楚楚地对提摩太说明，哪里才可以得着能力。
16. Take strength from the grace of God,
要从神的恩典上得着能力，
17. Be strong in the grace which is Christ Jesus.
要在基督耶稣的恩典上刚强起来。
18. But how?
怎么做呢？
19. Does he stay at home and sit on his posterior and do nothing?
他是否呆坐家中就行了么？
20. Or you sit down and you recite some positive words to yourself?
或者坐下来，不断对自己背诵些乐观进取的话？
21. No.
不是的，
22. One way to be strong is by investing yourself in others.
要刚强的一个方法就是，对别人有所付出。
23. In verse 2,
在第二节，
24. Paul said to Timothy,
保罗对提摩太说：
25. What you have heard from me before many witnesses,
你在许多见证人面前听见我所教训的，
26. Entrust that message to faithful men,
也要交托那忠心，
27. Who will be able to teach it to others.
能教导别人的人。
28. In other words,
换句话说，
29. Keep passing it on,
继续传扬开去，
30. Don’t keep it to yourself.
不要以自己拥有为满足。
31. By ministering to others,
当你向别人传讲时，
32. You are using the gifts that God has given you.
你就是在运用神所给予的恩赐。
33. And what you are going to discover is that you are going to overcome timidity.
而且你会发现，你可以克服羞怯。
34. And the more you do it,
你越去做，
35. The more you will overcome fear.
你就越能克服恐惧。
36. And the more you do it,
你越去做，
37. You will have victory over anxiety and sorrow,
你就越能胜过忧虑和哀愁，
38. Or whatever is troubling you.
或令你烦恼的事。
39. When you hear a sermon,
当你听了道，
40. You will not be blessed if you keep it to yourself,
若不继续传开，你就不能蒙福，
41. But if you share it with others and tell others about it, you will be blessed.
但如果你将主的道与人分享，去讲给人听，就必蒙福。
42. When you read the Scripture,
当你读圣经，
43. And God teaches you something new,
神教导你新的功课，
44. It will have greater impact upon your life if you share it with others.
如果你与别人分享，这功课就会对你的生命产生更大的影响。
45. Someone put it this way,
有人这样说：
46. Christianity is like electricity,
基督教的信仰就好像电流一样，
47. It cannot enter a person unless it can pass through.
除非它能从这个人的身体流通过去，否则不能进入他身体里。
48. So here is the first step.
所以这是第一步，
49. What is it?
那是什么呢？
50. Your Christian identity becomes clear by your willingness to invest in others.
当你愿意付出给他人时，你基督徒的身分就很清晰了。
51. Your Christian identity will become clear when you are willing to give away your life and invest it in the lives of others.
当你愿意为别人的生命，付出自己的生命时，你基督徒的身分就很清晰了。
52. And this is the true apostolic succession.
这就是真正的使徒传统了。
53. Apostolic succession,
使徒的传统，
54. Is passing on the word of God.
就是将神的道传开。
55. There are some people who believe,
有些人以为，
56. That apostolic succession,
使徒的传统，
57. Is when the apostle laid hands on somebody,
是使徒按手在某人头上，
58. And they have laid hands on somebody else,
而那些人再按手在其他人头上，
59. And until our day.
直到我们今天。
60. And that we have popes and patriarchs who have been receiving these hands for 2000 years,
今天的教宗和主教都是经过两千年按手的传统而来，
61. But that’s not quite what Paul is telling us here.
但那并不是保罗在这里所说的。
62. In fact, for a couple of hundred years, we don’t know who laid hands on who.
事实上，有一两百年的时间，我们根本不知道谁按手在谁的头上。
63. But Paul is telling us that true apostolic succession,
但保罗告诉我们，真正的使徒传统，
64. Is by passing on the gospel to faithful men,
是将福音传给忠信的人，
65. Who will pass it on to the next generation.
他们再将福音传给下一代。
66. As the past generation has given us the gospel,
上一代已将福音传给了我们，
67. We must be faithful with it.
我们必须忠于它，
68. We must protect it.
我们必须保护它，
69. We must guard it,
我们必须持守它，
70. Preach it and proclaim it.
并要将福音传扬和宣告出去。
71. But there is more,
还要做的是，
72. We must be willing to pass it on to the next generation,
我们必须愿意将福音传给下一代，
73. And they will pass it on to the next generation,
而他们又将福音传给他们的下一代，
74. Until Jesus comes.
直到主耶稣回来。
75. But you know there is another test as I told you for your Christian identity.
另外我讲过，还有别的基督徒身分的测试方法。
76. Remember the first one,
请你记住第一个，
77. When you are willing to invest it in others.
就是愿意对别人有所付出。
78. And the second identity is being a dedicated soldier,
第二个身分是忠诚的军人，
79. Verse 3 and verse 5.
第3到第5节。
80. Paul spent a long time in prison,
保罗在监牢里有很长的时间，
81. And he was able to spend time watching to Roman soldier who was guarding him.
他有机会观察那些看守着自己的罗马士兵。
82. He saw how dedicated they are,
他看见他们忠心耿耿，
83. He noticed how careful they are in obeying orders,
他留意到他们多么仔细地服从命令，
84. And how committed to their job.
并尽忠职守。
85. And therefore he says, the Christian must be like a soldier who is enlisted in God’s army,
所以他说：基督徒必须成为神军队中的精兵，
86. And Jesus himself is our commander in chief.
主耶稣自己就是我们的元帅。
87. We respect the armies of each nation,
我们尊重每一个国家的军队，
88. But we are talking about the spiritual army,
但我们所讲的是属灵的军队，
89. And just as the soldier in any army does not expect safe or easy time.
正如任何一个军人一样，在军队里不是要过安全而舒适的日子，
90. Soldiers take hardship as a matter of course.
军人要预备吃苦，这是必然的，
91. Soldiers take risks.
军人要冒险，
92. Soldiers fight to win.
军人要为胜利而战。
93. In the same way in the spiritual battle,
属灵的战争也是这样，
94. In the spiritual battle, there are only two people,
在属灵的战场上，只有两种人，
95. There is the victim and the victor.
是受害者或是胜利者。
96. If you want to win and have victory,
如果你想得胜，
97. You must learn the rules of warfare.
你必须学习战场上的规则。
98. If you are a soldier in Jesus’ army,
如果你是主耶稣军队中的士兵，
99. You must be dedicated to the battle and not be a spectator.
你必须投身争战之中，而不是一个旁观者。
SECTION C
丙部
1. Your priority is to win the battle,
你首要的任务就是打胜仗，
2. Not to watch it from a nearby easy chair.
不是袖手旁观。
3. Because if you are not a victor, you will be a victim.
因为如果你不是胜利者，就会是受害者了。
4. And God wants you to be a victor.
而神要你成为胜利者，
5. He wants to give you victory.
祂愿意赐你胜利，
6. Are you ready?
你预备好了吗？
7. In the next week I am going to tell you about a third way of identifying your identity,
下一次我会讲关于确定你基督徒身分的第三个方法，
8. But I want to remind you of the two that we looked at today,
但我想覆述今天我们所讲过的两个方法，
9. Being willing to invest in others,
愿意对别人付出，
10. And being a soldier in Jesus’ army.
以及，作耶稣的精兵。
11. May God bless you until next time.
愿神赐福给你，下次再会！
