不叫我們遇見試探
雅各書一章1至14節
1作神和主耶穌基督僕人的雅各請散住十二個支派之人的安。
2我的弟兄們,你們落在百般試煉中,都要以為大喜樂;
3因為知道你們的信心經過試驗,就生忍耐。
4但忍耐也當成功,使你們成全、完備,毫無缺欠。
5你們中間若有缺少智慧的,應當求那厚賜與眾人、也不斥責人的神,主就必賜給他。
6只要憑著信心求,一點不疑惑;因為那疑惑的人,就像海中的波浪,被風吹動翻騰。
7這樣的人不要想從主那裡得甚麼。
8心懷二意的人,在他一切所行的路上都沒有定見。
9卑微的弟兄升高,就該喜樂;
10富足的降卑,也該如此;因為他必要過去,如同草上的花一樣。
11太陽出來,熱風颳起,草就枯乾,花也凋謝,美容就消沒了;那富足的人,在他所行的事上也要這樣衰殘。
12忍受試探的人是有福的,因為他經過試驗以後,必得生命的冠冕;這是主應許給那些愛他之人的。
13人被試探,不可說:「我是被神試探」;因為神不能被惡試探,他也不試探人。
14但各人被試探,乃是被自己的私慾牽引誘惑的。
信息分享
那麼,「不叫我們遇見試探」這句祈求又是甚麼意思呢?神當然不會帶領我們進入試探之中。著名的希臘學者羅拔信博士(Dr.A.T.Robertson)將這句經文翻譯為:「不要讓我們被引誘進入試探。」奧古斯丁對這句經文的翻譯亦大致相同。我們可以禱告說:「求你保守我們,使我們不會遇見一些無力抗拒的試探,不會遭到撒但的攻擊,不會被世俗和我們本身的邪情私慾牽引和誘惑。」我們若不能像小孩子般,從內心發出這個單純的祈求,我們便很容易在毫無防備下失足跌倒。
是不是所有試探都是出於撒但的詭計?答案可以是「是」,但也可以是「否」。撒但當然會試探我們,但他還有兩位「得力助手」。首先,就是這個遠離神的世界,這個充滿貪婪和物質主義掛帥的世界。它雖然充斥著謊話、欺騙和詭詐,但它卻有莫大的吸引力,隨時會引誘我們犯罪。
然後,就是我們每個人裡面的舊本性。這種舊本性只想滿足自己,而且,它還貪愛世界、容易嫉妒、批評、憎恨別人和亂發脾氣。試探猶如星星之火,足以燃起我們的各種慾火,使我們引火自焚。
我們有甚麼出路呢?唯有呼求天父的幫助:「救我們脫離兇惡。」神當然有能力拯救我們,祂也極願意救助我們。只要我們呼求祂的幫助,祂必然為我們開一條出路。請翻到哥林多前書十章13節,重覆讀它好幾遍,直至你深深領受當中的真理。當你遇到試探的時候,切記馬上呼求主說:「主啊,求你釋放我、保護我、拯救我、堅固我、保守我,使我現在就能勝過。父啊,我是你的兒女,我信靠你的保護,謝謝你。」
牢記:只要你求救主幫助,祂必領你抵達平安之地。
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
James 1:1-14
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Message
But what does this phrase mean? "Lead us not into temptation"? Surely God does not lead us into temptation. Dr. A. T. Robertson, a noted Greek scholar, translated the phrase this way: "Do not allow us to be led into temptation". Saint Augustine translated it the same way. We could say, "Keep us from situations where temptation will be too strong for us. Defend us from the attacks of Satan, the attractions of the world and from our own wrong desires." When we fail to pray this simple child-like prayer from our heart, we are exposing ourselves to unnecessary upset and failure.
Is Satan behind every temptation? The answer could be "Yes and No". Satan certainly brings temptation but it also has two very strong allies. One is the world around us - the world of men away from God, the world of greed and materialism. It is filled with lies, deceit and dishonesty. It can however be tremendously attractive.
Then there is our old nature which is within us. It wants to please itself. It is attracted by the world. It shows up in jealousy, in a critical spirit, in bad temper and hatred. A spark of temptation can set all these things aflame.
The solution? A cry to our Heavenly Father - "Deliver us from evil". He can do it. He wants to do it. He waits to do it. He is only a prayer away. Turn to 1 Corinthians 10:13 and read it over and over until its truth grips your heart. Then when you are tempted, call on your Heavenly Father. "Deliver me, Lord. Save me. Rescue me now. Strengthen me. Keep me. May I have victory now! I am your child. Thank you Father."
HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH.

