SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. If you are joining us for the first time,
假如你第一次收听这个节目，
3. this is the second message in a series on the purpose of Advent.
我们现在所播出的是有关“耶稣降生的目的”这个系列信息。
4. In the last message,
在上次节目中，
5. we saw that Jesus, the Son of God, came to destroy the works of the devil.
我们讲到，神的儿子耶稣来到世上，就是要摧毁撒但的作为。
6. We saw that the works of the devil are death, darkness, hatred and lawlessness.
我们知道，撒但的作为，就是死亡、黑暗、仇恨和不遵行真理。
7. Today, we see how Jesus has dealt with sin.
今天，我们要看看，耶稣是怎么治服罪的。
8. The word "sin" expresses all these things that are the works of the devil.
“罪”这个字代表了撒但一切的作为。
9. For example,
比如说，
10. death is the wages of sin.
死亡就是罪的工价。
11. Sin is due to darkness.
罪，来自黑暗。
12. Sin is due to hatred.
罪，来源于仇恨。
13. Sin is due to lawlessness;
罪，来自对神的反叛；
14. so, in today’s message, we will see the purpose of Advent as it touches our human needs.
因此，在今天的信息中，我们要从人的需要这方面来看一看耶稣降生的目的。
15. The Bible said
圣经告诉我们，
16. that Jesus, the Son of God, was manifested to take away sin;
神的儿子耶稣来，就是要除去罪；
17. but, before we can even talk about taking away sin,
在我们讨论除去罪这个问题之先，
18. we have to understand what sin is all about.
我们必须先来看一看，罪到底是什么。
19. Sin is not a very popular word today.
当今时代，人们不喜欢提“罪”这个字眼。
20. We prefer to say that we made mistakes;
我们情愿说，我们是犯了错误；
21. but sin is more than just making mistakes.
可是，罪的含义要远远超过“犯错误”。
22. Sin is an implicitly aggressive quality.
罪是从骨子里发出的毒素，
23. Sin is ruthless.
罪是冷酷无情的。
24. Sin is hurting.
罪可以中伤他人。
25. Sin is rebellion.
罪，就是叛逆。
26. Sin has a willful and disloyal quality.
罪，就是蓄意地反叛。
27. In sin, someone is defied.
只要罪存在，就会有斗争。
28. Someone is hurt.
有人被伤害。
29. Someone is offended,
受攻击，
30. and to ignore sin or gloss over it would be dishonest.
所以，忽视罪或掩盖罪都是不诚实的表现。
31. The New Testament uses five Greek words for sin.
在新约圣经当中，希腊文用了五个词来形容罪。
32. These words portray sin’s various aspects, both passive and active.
从各个不同的角度来描述罪的丑态。
33. First, there is a word that can be translated, "missing the mark;"
第一个是“亏欠；”
34. then, there is another word which can be translated, "unrighteousness;"
第二个是“不义；”
35. and, then, there is another word which can be translated "evil," or "vicious."
第三个是，“邪恶。”
36. There is another word which can be translated "transgression;"
第四是，“犯规；”
37. and, finally, there is a word which means "lawlessness," or "violation of the law;"
最后一个是，“违法”也就是“触犯法律”的意思。
38. but these sins, in the plural, stem from the principle of sin in the singular.
这些罪，归根结底，是来自一种罪。
39. The Bible emphasizes that the root of sin is self-centeredness.
圣经强调，罪的根源，就是骄傲自大。
40. Every sin is a breach of what Jesus called the first and the greatest commandment,
任何罪都是由于人违背了神所颁布给我们最重要的诫命而引起的，
41. namely, loving God with all your being;
那就是，“你要尽心、尽力、尽意爱主你的神。”
42. so, when we don’t put God first in all things,
因此，当我们不把神放在生活中首要位置时，
43. it means that we have rejected Him
我们就是背弃神，
44. and we want to be independent of Him.
我们老想着要挣脱祂的约束。
45. It means that we have unseated God and placed ourselves in the center;
这就意味着，我们想要推翻神，并把自己放在神的位置上；
46. and that’s exactly what Satan tried to do in Heaven.
其实，这和撒但当初的行径没什么两样。
47. He attempted to unseat God and take His place;
当初，撒但就是想要取代神的地位；
48. and every time we do not put God first in our lives,
因此，每当我们不把神放在首位的时候，
49. we are doing the same thing Satan did many years ago.
我们就和撒但异曲同工。
50. Satan tried to tempt Eve to unseat God,
撒但引诱夏娃叛逆神，
51. but she failed;
结果，夏娃屈从了试探；
52. and, when she failed, Satan tried to convince Adam;
夏娃跌倒后，撒但又来诱惑亚当；
53. but he, too, failed;
同样，亚当也落入了试探当中；
54. and he has been trying to convince men and women in every generation to unseat God from their lives.
自古以来，撒但从没有停止引诱人来否定神在他们生命中的地位。
55. The consequence for those who try to unseat God from their lives will end up in eternal punishment.
凡是那些从生命中排斥神的人，他们的结局就是永远的刑罚。
56. My listening friends, please listen carefully to what I’m going to tell you.
我亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我讲。
57. Sin is not a regrettable lapse from conventional standards.
罪，并不是指普通标准下的小过失而已。
58. Sin is not okay because everybody else sins.
罪，也不能因为其他人都犯罪就不算为罪了。
59. Sin, in its essence, is a hostility toward God.
罪，从本质上说，是对神的仇视。
60. The Bible confirms this in Romans 8:7.
圣经在罗马书8章7节确定了这一点。
61. Sin is saying to God, “God, I am in charge of my life and no one tells me what to do.”
罪，就是对神说：“上帝啊，我要自己当家作主，不用听任何人的指使。”
62. Sin issues an active rebellion against a holy God.
罪，就是跟圣洁的神正面作对。
63. Sin is getting rid of God in order to put ourselves in His place.
罪，就是想着要脱离神的管辖，自己作主。
64. That is sin.
这，就是罪。
65. You must understand that every sin you commit against another person is a sin against God.
你要知道，每一次我们得罪别人，其实就是得罪了神。
66. Listen to David’s confession in Psalm 51, verse 4:
大卫在诗篇51篇第4节里祷告，说：
67. “Against you, and you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,...”
“我向你犯罪，唯独得罪了你，在你眼前行了这恶﹔……”
68. In committing adultery with Bathsheba,
大卫和拔示巴犯了奸淫，
69. and committing murder against Uriah,
谋杀了乌利亚，
70. David did not only commit a serious offense against these individuals and against the nation,
大卫得罪的不仅仅是这两个人，甚至这个国家，
71. he knew that it was God’s law that he had broken,
他晓得，他干犯的是神的律法，
72. and, thereby, ultimately, he sinned against God.
因此，说到底，他得罪的是神。
73. Now, do you understand the gravity of sin?
现在，你知道罪的破坏力有多深了吧？
74. We can now begin to see why Jesus said that He was manifested to take away sin,
现在我们可以来谈谈，为什么耶稣声称祂来就是要除去罪呢，
75. for John the Baptist kept on baptizing and kept on looking at the same time;
约翰在施洗的时候，很留意周围的人群；
76. and, on one night, he saw a man walking toward him
终于有一天，他看到一个人朝他这边走来，
77. and John the Baptist called out with a loud voice,
于是，约翰大声喊着说：
78. “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”
“看哪，神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。”
79. Well, some of you may be asking,
也许，你会问：
80. “Why should our forgiveness of sin depend on Christ’s death?
“为什么非要借着耶稣的死，才能使我们的罪得到赦免呢？
81. Why does God not simply forgive us without the necessity of the cross?
神为什么不直接了当饶恕我们的罪，就不需要十字架了？
82. After all, when we sin against each other, we forgive each other, as we are required to do.
在平日里，人们彼此冒犯以后，我们岂不是只需要互相饶恕，问题就解决啦？
83. We do it without being crucified.
并不需要我们上十字架呀。
84. Why does God make so much fuss about forgiving our sins so that Jesus gets sacrificed?”
神为什么要这么麻烦，让耶稣被钉在十字架上才能赦免我们的罪呢？
85. Some will say, “It is unfair for a sinless Christ to die for my sin.”
甚至有人会说：“让无罪的基督来代替我的罪而死，是不公平的。”
86. My friend, when you ask such questions, you are thinking of God like just another human being;
亲爱的朋友，当你发出这些问题时，那就说明，你把神当成人一样；
87. but God is not just a private citizen,
然而，神既不是一个平常人，
88. nor is sin just a personal injury.
犯罪，也不仅仅是伤害人。
89. On the contrary,
相反地，
90. God is the Maker of these laws that we break
神，乃是立法者，而我们犯罪就是触犯了神的法律。
91. and sin is rebellion against Him.
罪，就是对神的叛逆。
92. The reason Jesus had to die on the cross
耶稣一定要死在十字架上的原因就是，
93. is because there was an inevitable collision between divine perfection and human rebellion.
因为人的叛逆和神完全的圣洁，肯定是互相对立的。
94. There was an inevitable collision between God, as He is, and us, as we are.
人的罪性和神的神性，是绝对矛盾冲突的。
95. The problem wasn’t just our sin of rebellion against God,
问题不只在于我们叛逆，得罪了神而已，
96. but, also, the divine justice and wrath toward that rebellion.
也在于，神的公义不容许罪恶存在，叛逆会惹动祂的怒气。
97. Someone may say,
也许你会说：
98. “…but you say that God is love. How can He also be wrath and justice?”
“可是，神就是爱，为什么神要发怒，彰显公义呢？”
99. God indeed is love; yet, His love is holy love -
不错，神的确是爱；但是，祂的爱是神圣的爱──
SECTION B
乙部
1. a love which yearns over sinners,
这种爱使祂怜爱罪人，
2. while, at the same time, cannot, by His very nature, condone sin.
但是，按照神的本性，神爱罪人，却不能姑息罪恶。
3. How, then, can God express His holy love?
那么，神的爱如何彰显呢？
4. How can He express His love in forgiving sinners without compromising His holiness?
在不向罪恶妥协、不让神全然的圣洁蒙尘之下，神如何彰显祂的慈爱来饶恕罪人呢？
5. How can He express His holiness in judging sinners without frustrating His love?
在不让神的慈爱打折扣的同时，神又如何审判罪人以维持祂全然的圣洁呢？
6. How could God be true to Himself as holy love and confront evil at the same time?
神既要实践祂神圣的爱，又要公正地处置邪恶，祂如何做到呢？
7. God had the answer.
神有祂解决的办法。
8. We could never provide a solution to this dilemma;
世上没有任何人可以解决这个难题；
9. only God could.
只有神能够。
10. God’s solution was the shedding of His Own blood;
神用自己的血来解决这个难题；
11. and, there at the cross,
在十字架上，
12. God Himself, through Christ,
神通过耶稣基督，
13. paid the full penalty of our disobedience.
亲自为我们承担了悖逆神所该受的全部刑罚。
14. He bore the judgment we deserve in order to bring us the forgiveness we don’t deserve.
他代替我们受了审判，我们才能得到本不配得的饶恕。
15. On the cross,
在十字架上，
16. the divine mercy and justice were equally expressed and eternally reconciled.
神的恩典和公义同时彰显，在永恒中得到和谐。
17. God’s holy love was satisfied.
神圣洁的爱得以圆满。
18. Let me explain it another way.
让我用另一种方式来说明。
19. Habakkuk 1:13 said
哈巴谷书1：13节告诉我们：
20. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He cannot tolerate wrong;
神的眼目清洁，不能容忍罪恶；
21. that He refused to listen to our prayers;
所以祂不听我们的祷告；
22. therefore, effectively, our sins separate us from God.
因此，是我们的罪导致我们与神隔绝。
23. His face is hidden from us.
神转脸不顾我们。
24. and that is why in the Scripture, again and again, we see that no one was able to set eyes on God.
这就是为什么圣经在很多地方都告诉我们，没有人可以在神面前站立得住。
25. All those who were granted even a glimpse of His glory were unable to endure the sight.
甚至，没有一个人可以在神的荣光中停留片刻。
26. Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
摩西蒙上自己的脸，因为他害怕看见神。
27. When Isaiah had a vision of Yahweh exalted and lifted up,
以赛亚在异象中看见耶和华坐在高高的宝座上，
28. he was overwhelmed by a sense of his uncleanliness.
他因自己的污秽不堪而惊慌失措，
29. When God revealed Himself, personally, to Job,
当神亲自对约伯说话，
30. Job’s reaction was to despise himself and repent in dust and ashes.
约伯就厌恶自己，在尘土和炉灰中懊悔。
31. Ezekiel saw only the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God in fire and brilliant light;
先知以西结在闪烁着火光的一朵大云里，只能隐约看到神的荣耀；
32. and Daniel fainted with his face to the ground.
而但以理则脸伏在地，昏睡过去。
33. Those who were confronted by the Lord Jesus Christ,
至于那些见过耶稣基督的人，
34. even during His earthly life, when His glory was veiled,
即使当时耶稣在世为人，祂的荣耀没有彰显出来，
35. they felt a profound discomfort.
这些人就已经感到惶恐不安了。
36. Peter told Him to get out of his boat because Peter was a sinful man.
彼得因为自己是一个罪人而央求主离开他。
37. John, in the Book of Revelation, fell on his face;
在启示录中记着，约翰俯伏在地；
38. and, closely related to God’s holiness, is His wrath.
与神的圣洁紧紧相关的，就是神的愤怒。
39. Some of you may think that the God of wrath belongs to the Old Testament,
有些人认为，神的愤怒只出现在旧约圣经中，
40. while the God of the New Testament is the God of love.
而新约中的神是充满怜悯慈爱的神。
41. Let me challenge you to read what Jesus said in the Gospels about the fate of those who refuse to submit to His Lordship.
就让我们来看看，耶稣在福音书当中，谈到那些拒绝承认耶稣为生命之主的人，他们的结局是怎样的。
42. God’s holiness and justice go hand in hand.
神的圣洁和公义缺一不可。
43. He has provided you a way of escape.
祂赐给你一条逃生之路。
44. He has provided you a way of salvation.
祂赐给你一条救恩之路。
45. He paid dearly to satisfy His holy love.
祂为了完全圣洁的爱付出极重的代价。
46. What else can He do?
祂还有什么不愿意替我们做的呢？
47. Yet, most people in the world don’t know the true God.
但，世上大部分人不认识这位真神。
48. They think they know about God,
他们自以为认识神，
49. but they really don’t know God personally;
但是，他们却没有和神建立个人关系；
50. and that is why Peter tells us, in 1 Peter, Chapter 1, verse 17,
所以，在彼得前书1章17节那里，彼得说：
51. “Since you call on the Father who judges each man impartially, live your lives in reverent fear.”
“你们既称那不偏待人，按各人行为审判人的主为父，就当存敬畏的心，度你们在世寄居的日子。”
52. Even some Christians take God’s forgiveness for granted.
有些基督徒轻视神的饶恕之恩，
53. They sin and numb their conscience by saying, “God will forgive us and everything will be fine.”
他们拿犯罪不当一回事，蒙蔽自己的良知说：“没问题，神会原谅我的。”
54. Well, the problem is, everything is not fine,
其实，问题没那么简单，
55. for God hates evil.
因为神憎恶罪恶。
56. God is disgusted and angered by sin.
神因着罪恶发怒。
57. God refuses to come to terms with sin, other than through the cross.
神宁愿上十字架，也不会和罪恶通融的。
58. Jesus said that He came to take away our sin;
耶稣宣告说，祂来要除去罪；
59. so, when you come to Him in repentance and faith,
因此，当你凭着信心来到神面前认罪悔改，
60. He forgives you.
神就会饶恕你。
61. He gives you a new nature.
祂要赐给你新的性情。
62. He regenerates you.
祂要使你获得重生。
63. He takes you from death to life.
祂要让你脱离死亡，进入永生。
64. He takes you from darkness to light;
祂要带领你离开黑暗，进入光明；
65. and that is why a true believer can never live a life of habitual sin.
这就是为什么一个真正的基督徒，再也不会习惯犯罪。
66. It’s against God’s nature,
因为这违反神的性情，
67. and, therefore, it is against the new nature.
也就是违反了神赐给我们的新性情。
68. To men and women without Jesus, sin is natural.
对于那些不认识耶稣的人来说，罪是一种天性。
69. They are not bothered with it;
犯罪也不觉得难过；
70. but, when they become a new creation in Christ,
但是，当他们在基督里成为新造的人之后，
71. they will hate sin, just as God hates sin.
他们就会恨恶罪，就像神恨恶罪一样。
72. My beloved friend, listen carefully.
我亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我说。
73. God has provided a way of escape from sin,
神已经为我们预备了一条脱离罪恶的道路，
74. and the consequences of sin.
并可以脱离罪的刑罚。
75. He who had no sin
全然无罪的那一位，
76. came to take away our sin.
来到世间除去罪。
77. Have you experienced the forgiveness that only Jesus Christ can give you?
你有没有经历到只有耶稣基督才能够赐给你的饶恕之恩呢？
78. You can do so today;
你今天就可以经历到；
79. and, then, write to us and tell us about it.
欢迎你来信和我们分享你的经历。
80. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
我们下次再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。
