SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello and welcome to this broadcast one more time.
亲爱的朋友，你好，再次欢迎你，
2. We are glad that you have decided to listen again.
我们很高兴你决定再次收听这个节目。
3. I want to remind you that the last time we were together I shared with you about two things that’s going to keep you from having an identity crisis.
我想温习一下，上次我讲到两个方法，让我们避免“自我确认”的危机。
4. And I told you that next time I would tell you about a third one.
我也说过，将在这一次节目讲第三个方法。
5. I wonder how many of you can tell me what are the first two.
不晓得有多少人还记得头两个方法？
6. I am sure you will pass the test.
我相信你答得出来，
7. But let me remind those who could not remember.
不过还是让我再提一提，加深印象，
8. First,
第一，
9. It is by investing yourself in the life of others/
就是对别人有所付出。
10. Secondly,
第二，
11. Of being a soldier enlisted in God’s army/
作神军队中的精兵。
12. And today I want to talk to you about the third test of identity,
今天我要讲测试自我身分的第三个方法，
13. And it is this,
那就是，
14. Whether you are an athlete who is willing to play by the rules/
你是不是一位遵守比赛规则的运动员。
15. If you look at verse 5,
请看第5节，
16. Of the second epistle to Timothy,
提摩太后书，
17. In chapter two, it says this,
第２章第５节，这里说：
18. And if a man also strives for masteries,
如果一个人要争取胜利，
19. And also if anyone competes as an athlete,
如果他要以运动员的身分比赛，
20. He does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
他必须遵守比赛规则，否则就不能赢得奖赏。
21. In the ancient Greek world,
在古希腊时代，
22. The winning athlete,
优胜的运动员，
23. Received crowns of an evergreen leaf.
会得到一顶常绿树叶的桂冠。
24. But it doesn’t matter if the athlete wins or not he will not receive that wreath if he did not play according to the rules.
但如果他不遵守比赛规则，无论输赢他都不会获得桂冠的。
25. The motto of these Greek games was something like this,
这些希腊竞赛的格言是这样的：
26. No rules, no wreath.
不守规则，休想得冠。
27. And the apostle Paul is saying to us as believers in Jesus Christ.
使徒保罗说，作为耶稣基督的信徒，
28. We are in a race.
我们在场上比赛，
29. We are playing for keeps.
我们想要比个胜负，
30. We are playing according to God’s rules.
就要遵守神所定的比赛规则，
31. We are not to play according to the rules of the new morality.
而不是按照社会的新道德标准，
32. We do not play according to the rules of the rewritten Bible.
不是按照重新改写的圣经里的规矩，
33. We do not play according to the rules of if it feels good do it.
不是按照人自认为好的标准，
34. We don’t play according to the rules of modern standards.
我们不是按照现代的标准比赛，
35. No, not at all.
全都不是。
36. The modern thought is this,
现代的思想认为，
37. Because I am a Christian.
因为我是个基督徒，
38. I can do whatever I want,
我想做就可以做，
39. And God will always forgive me.
神始终会饶恕我的，
40. This is not the rules of the Scripture
这并不是圣经里的规则。
41. You cannot run the Christian race according to that rule.
如果你有这样的想法，就不能参与基督徒的比赛。
42. You cannot win if your rule is I do what I want when I want and how I want it.
如果你认为想做就去做的话，你决不会获胜。
43. Crowns are given on the grounds of faithfulness to keeping the rules,
桂冠是留给那些忠心守规则的人，
44. So this is the identity of the athlete.
这就是我们运动员的身分。
45. Then there is a fourth identity,
然后是第四个身分，
46. Paul tells us that a Christian is to be like the hard working farmer.
保罗说身为基督徒，就好像勤劳的农夫一样。
47. Let us review again,
让我们再温习一次，
48. The first test was,
第一个测试，
49. Are you willing to invest your faith in others?
你是否愿意付出自己，与人分享你的信仰？
50. The second test was,
第二个测试，
51. Are you willing to be a soldier on active duty?
你是否愿意成为现役军人？
52. The third test was,
第三个测试，
53. Are you willing to run the race according to God’s rules?
你是否愿意遵守神所定的规则比赛？
54. And now here is the fourth test,
第四个测试，
55. Are you willing to be a hard working farmer?
你是否愿意成为一个勤劳的农夫？
56. Verse six,
第六节，
57. The farmer who labors,
劳力的农夫，
58. Must be the first to partake of the first fruit.
理当先得粮食。
59. Farmers are among the hardest working people I know.
农夫在我所认识的各行业中是最勤劳的，
60. Farmers had to work in their land all the time,
农夫无时无刻不在田里工作，
61. Whether the soil is good or bad,
无论泥土是好是坏，
62. Whether the weather is good or bad,
无论天气是好是坏，
63. Farmers cannot afford the luxury of sitting back and refusing to work.
农夫都不能松懈下来，也不能罢工。
64. They can’t just say, well, I don’t feel like planting this year,
他们不能说：今年我不想种农作物，
65. Or I’m not led to do any harvesting this season,
或说这一季我不想去收割，
66. Or, I’m not up to tilling the soil this time around,
或说这回我不想耕地，
67. And that is why lazy people never make good farmers.
所以懒惰的人，永远不能成为好农夫。
68. The book of Proverbs, chapter 10 tells us something about lazy farmers,
在箴言第十章，说到有关懒惰的农夫，
69. It says the following,
那里说：
70. The lazy farmer loses his harvest,
懒惰的农夫收不到庄稼，
71. Either because he is asleep when he ought to be reaping,
因为在收割的季节，他只顾睡觉，
72. Or because he is too lazy to plow the fields,
或是他懒得耕地，
73. Or because he has allowed his fields to become overgrown with thistles and thorns.
又或是他让田里长满了荆棘和蒺藜。
74. And that is why Paul said in verse six,
因此保罗在第六节说：
75. That the hard working farmer deserves the first fruits of his labor.
劳力的农夫，理当先得粮食。
76. What are some of these first fruits in the Christians labor?
基督徒努力耕耘所得的初熟果子是什么？
77. Holiness is the first fruit of a Christians perseverance and labor.
“圣洁”就是基督徒不断努力耕耘所得初熟的果子。
78. If you are not growing in holiness,
如果你在“圣洁”这方面没有长进，
79. It is because you have neglected to cultivate the fields of your character.
是因为你疏忽了灌溉你的“性格”这块田地。
80. Whatever you sow,
无论你撒什么种子，
81. You will reap.
你必定会收割。
82. And if you don’t till the soil,
但如果你不翻松泥土，
83. The soil of your life and your character,
也就是你生命的泥土和你性格的泥土，
84. And plant the word of God in it,
将神的道种撒在里面，
85. You will only harvest thistles and thorns and grief.
你只能收割荆棘蒺藜和愁苦。
86. Please listen very carefully,
请你留心听着，
87. If you are going to win others to Jesus Christ,
如果你想带领人相信耶稣基督，
88. It will only happen as a result of hard work.
只有勤奋工作才会实现。
89. Plowing,
翻松泥土，
90. And planting,
和栽种，
91. And praying,
并要祷告，
92. And even weeping and watering the ground with your tears.
甚至用你的眼泪浇灌泥土。
93. There will be no return on your investment until you invest in the life of others.
如果你没有为别人的生命付出代价，你就不会有收获。
94. There will be no victory for a soldier who does not fight to win.
如果士兵不为胜利而战，必定失败。
95. There will be no wreath for the athlete unless he plays according to the rules.
如果运动员不遵守比赛规则，就得不到桂冠。
96. And there will be no harvest for the farmer unless he toils at his farming.
如果农夫不勤劳耕种，就不会有收成。
97. In verse seven,
在第七节，
98. Paul gives us the balance,
保罗提出一个平衡的原则，
99. That enforces our Christian identity.
使我们基督徒的身分得以巩固。
SECTION B
乙部
1. Reflect on the Word of God,
思想神的话，
2. And the Holy Spirit will grant you understanding in everything.
圣灵必赐你智慧，使你明白一切的事情。
3. The Christian not only is to read his Bible,
基督徒不但要读圣经，
4. But he must apply it,
还需要实践圣经的教训，
5. Even the difficult passages.
即使是艰深的经文。
6. Now if I was you sitting down listening to the radio,
如果我是你，正坐着收听广播，
7. I’m sure I’m asking myself a question like this,
我一定会问自己这个问题，
8. How in the world can Timothy forget Jesus?
提摩太怎么可以忘了主耶稣呢？
9. How can a Christian forget Jesus?
一个基督徒怎么会忘记主耶稣呢？
10. I’ll tell you how.
让我告诉你吧！
11. First,
首先，
12. Human nature is extremely fickle,
人的本性是极之反复无常的，
13. We can get so busy doing even good things that we can forget Jesus.
我们甚至可以忙于做好事而将主耶稣忘记。
14. We get ourselves in the middle of a problem,
我们埋头处理一些问题，
15. Or in the middle of a decision making process,
或者需要作出某些决定，
16. And we automatically begin thinking about these things.
于是，我们自然而然地思考着这些事情。
17. What are the ramifications of the problem?
这问题有什么结果？
18. What are the implications of that problem?
这问题有什么含义？
19. What are the consequences of that problem?
这问题会带来什么后果？
20. And we begin to make decisions,
然后我们开始作决定，
21. Did we think of Jesus?
我们有没有想到耶稣呢？
22. It’s the last thing you probably have on your mind,
很可能你最后才想起主，
23. What does Jesus want?
主耶稣的心意是什么？
24. What is his will in the matter?
祂在这事上有什么旨意？
25. What is glorifying to him in the matter?
要如何藉这件事来荣耀祂？
26. And that is why Paul is telling Timothy, remember Jesus,
因此保罗对提摩太说：要记得耶稣，
27. Because Jesus is the essence of the gospel,
因为耶稣是福音的本质，
28. Jesus is the source of life,
耶稣是生命的源头，
29. Jesus is part and parcel of every area of our life.
耶稣参与在我们生命的每一个范畴中。
30. And Paul is also telling Timothy to remember Jesus as an example,
保罗也告诉提摩太，要记得以耶稣为模范，
31. He said he is the son of David,
他说：耶稣是大卫王的后裔，
32. That is his humanity.
那是耶稣人性的这一面。
33. He said to him, he is resurrected from the dead,
保罗对提摩太说：耶稣从死里复活，
34. That is his divinity.
那是耶稣神性的一面。
35. Remember when Jesus died on the cross,
要记住当耶稣死在十字架上时，
36. He did not stay on the cross,
祂并不是停留在十字架上，
37. He was resurrected on the third day.
祂在第三天复活。
38. Remember Gethsemane was followed by the resurrection.
要记住在客西马尼园之后，就是祂的复活。
39. And here as if Paul is saying to Timothy,
这里，保罗好像在对提摩太说：
40. Remember Jesus, Timothy.
提摩太，你要记得耶稣啊！
41. Remember him when you are soldiering,
你身为军人，要记得耶稣，
42. Remember him when you are striving as an athlete,
你身为参赛的运动员，要记得耶稣，
43. Remember him when you are working hard as a farmer,
你身为勤劳的农夫，要记得耶稣，
44. Remember him as you are fighting and straining,
当你在争战和拚斗的时候，要记得耶稣，
45. And remember that the straining and the pain is only for a season,
要记住你的拚斗和痛苦，只是一段时间而已，
46. The time is coming Timothy,
提摩太啊，时候快到了，
47. When all of this will be no more.
这一切事都要过去。
48. The time is coming Timothy,
提摩太啊，时候快到了，
49. When tears will be no more.
再没有眼泪。
50. The time is coming Timothy,
提摩太啊，时候快到了，
51. When chains will be no more.
不再有锁链。
52. There is a time that is coming Timothy,
提摩太啊，时候快到了，
53. When pain and suffering will be no more,
再没有痛苦，
54. Remember Jesus.
要记得耶稣。
55. And then Paul begins to conclude this section here,
跟着，保罗就要结束这个段落，
56. And he concludes it by quoting a hymn.
他引用一首圣诗来作结论。
57. A hymn that obviously was sung in the early church,
很显然的，这是一首早期教会所唱的诗歌，
58. And it goes like this:
是这样的：
59. If we have died with him,
我们若与基督同死，
60. We shall live with him.
也必与祂同活；
61. If we die to self,
我们若向自己死，
62. If we die to self-gratification,
我们若向自我满足而死，
63. And if we die to self-centeredness,
我们若向自我中心而死，
64. We will rise with him in glory.
我们必与祂同得荣耀；
65. If you persevere,
你若忍耐，
66. If you stand up,
你若站立得住，
67. If you stand your ground,
你若坚守立场，
68. If you don’t ever give up,
你若永不放弃，
69. You will reign with Christ.
你必与基督一同作王；
70. If we deny him,
我们若不认祂，
71. He will also deny us.
祂也必不认我们；
72. Paul said this,
保罗说：
73. If we are faithless,
我们纵然失信，
74. He is faithful,
祂仍是可信的，
75. He cannot deny himself.
因为祂不能背乎自己。
76. Now let me tell you about something really bad that people like to think about this verse,
让我告诉你一件不好的事，有人从反面来理解这首诗，
77. They like to think the following:
他们的想法是：
78. That I don’t have to be faithful.
既然如此，那么我们便不用忠于信仰了。
79. But that’s not what Paul is saying,
但那并不是保罗的意思，
80. He is saying that if we deny him,
他的意思是，我们若不认神，
81. He will deny us.
神必不认我们。
82. And we are unfaithful to him,
我们若不忠于神，
83. He will be faithful to his promises,
神会信守祂的应许，
84. He will be faithful to his threat to deny us.
祂将忠于自己的诺言，不认我们。
85. In other words,
换句话说，
86. God can do all things consistent with being himself,
神以一贯的原则行事，
87. The only thing that God cannot do,
神唯一办不到的事，
88. And he will not do,
也是祂不愿意做的，
89. Is to deny himself,
就是否定自己，
90. Or act contrary to himself,
或自相矛盾，
91. God remains forever himself.
神是永远一致的神。
92. God’s faithfulness is manifested in his justice,
神的信实在祂的公义上彰显出来，
93. God’s faithfulness will be manifested in his love.
神的信实在祂的慈爱中彰显出来。
94. You and I need to apply these tests to our lives,
你和我要将这些考验应用在我们的生活上，
95. Am I willing to share my faith?
我是否愿意与人分享信仰？
96. Am I willing to be a soldier?
我是否愿意成为基督的精兵？
97. Am I willing to run according to the rules?
我是否愿意遵守规则参加比赛？
98. Am I willing to till the soil of my heart?
我是否愿意耕耘心中的田地？
99. If not,
如果你不愿意的话，
SECTION C
丙部
1. Then you need to pray this prayer:
那么你需要这样祷告：
2. Lord Jesus, come into my life,
主耶稣，求你进入我的生命，
3. Lord Jesus, come and empower me,
主耶稣，求你赐下能力，
4. Empower me to be a faithful witness for Christ.
赐我能力，使我成为耶稣基督忠实的见证人；
5. Empower me to be a faithful soldier in Christ’s army.
赐我能力，使我成为耶稣基督的精兵；
6. Empower me to be an athlete on Christ’s team.
赐我能力，使我成为耶稣基督队伍里的运动员；
7. Empower me to be a good farmer in Christ’s vineyard.
赐我能力，使我成为耶稣基督葡萄园里的好农夫；
8. Empower me to live for you.
赐我能力，为你而活。
9. In Jesus’ name,
奉主耶稣的名祷告，
10. Amen.
阿们！
