八福
基督教沒有強逼
經文
彼得前書四7-19
7萬物的結局近了。所以，你們要謹慎自守，儆醒禱告。
8最要緊的是彼此切實相愛，因為愛能遮掩許多的罪。
9你們要互相款待，不發怨言。
10各人要照所得的恩賜彼此服事，作神百般恩賜的好管家。
11若有講道的，要按著神的聖言講；若有服事人的，要按著神所賜的力量服事，叫神在凡事上因耶穌基督得榮耀。原來榮耀、權能都是他的，直到永永遠遠。阿們！
12親愛的弟兄阿，有火煉的試驗臨到你們，不要以為奇怪（似乎是遭遇非常的事），
13倒要歡喜；因為你們是與基督一同受苦，使你們在他榮耀顯現的時候，也可以歡喜快樂。
14你們若為基督的名受辱罵，便是有福的；因為神榮耀的靈常住在你們身上。
15你們中間卻不可有人因為殺人、偷竊、作惡、好管閒事而受苦。
16若為作基督徒受苦，卻不要羞恥，倒要因這名歸榮耀給神。
17因為時候到了，審判要從神的家起首。若是先從我們起首，那不信從神福音的人將有何等的結局呢？
18若是義人僅僅得救，那不虔敬和犯罪的人將有何地可站呢？
19所以那照神旨意受苦的人要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。
信息分享
我們繼續討論昨天的話題──很多基督徒受逼迫，不是因為與基督認同，而是因為行事為人缺乏技巧和智慧。第八福「為義受逼迫的人有福了！因為天國是他們的」，說的並不是這種人。我們對這一點要有清楚的認識。
到底是為義受逼迫呢？還是為了自己的義受逼迫？這中間的區別很大。很多基督徒在這些事情上很愚昧，他們不明白偏見和原則之間的分別，因此為自己帶來不必要的痛苦。那些在作見證時過份熱心的人也是這樣。他們令人討厭卻把所受到的逼迫解釋成為義受逼迫。
聖經教導我們要「靈巧像蛇，純良像鴿子」。箴言的作者有力地指出：「有智慧的，必能得人」（箴十一30）。第八福沒有告訴我們：「為了過分熱心而受逼迫的人有福了」，也沒有告訴我們：「為了狂熱而受逼迫的人有福了」。有一間教會曾經要求我輔導他們的一位會友，因為他衝動地作見證，惹來了很多麻煩，導致教會威脅要對他進行紀律處分，除非他同意接受輔導。後來我發覺他那作見證的強逼性行為不是來自基督，而是來自他自己內裡的衝動。他需要以作見證來讓自己感到重要。事實上，基督徒作見證應該有節制，絕對不能被強逼。
「有智慧的，必能得人」
進深研究
徒九1-29；林前四12；林後四9
1.掃羅真正迫害的是誰？
2.他早期傳揚基督的經驗是怎麼樣的？
祈禱
天父，求您讓我知道如何分辨甚麼是強逼，甚麼是節制。幫助我從自己與您的關係中找到我的重要性，免得我走歪路。阿們。
The Beatitudes
No compulsions in Christianity
Bible reading:
1 Peter 4:7-19
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[a]
19 So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Message
We continue focusing on the fact that many Christians are persecuted, not because of identifying with Christ, but because of their tactlessness and folly. This eighth Beatitude - "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - does not apply to such people. Let us be quite clear about that.
There is a great difference between persecution for the sake of righteousness and persecution for the sake of self-righteousness. Many Christians are foolish in these matters. They fail to realise the difference between prejudice and principle, and thus bring unnecessary suffering upon themselves. The same applies to those who are over-zealous in their witnessing. They make a nuisance of themselves and interpret the persecution that comes as persecution for righteousness' sake.
The Scripture teaches us to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves". The writer of the Proverbs puts it powerfully when he says: "He who wins souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30). We are not told in this eighth Beatitude, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are over-zealous", neither are we told, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are fanatical." I was once asked by a church to counsel one of their members who had a compulsion to witness. The man got into so many difficulties because of this that the church threatened to discipline him unless he agreed to receive counselling. I found his compulsion to witness came not from Christ, but from his own inner drives. He needed to witness so as to feel significant. Witnessing should be a constraint, never a compulsion.
"He who wins souls is wise"
Prayer
O Father, show me how to distinguish between what is a compulsion and what is a constraint. And help me to see that if I don't find my significance in my relationship with You, then I will attempt to find it in other ways. Amen.
Further study
Acts 9:1-29
1 Corinthians 4:12
2 Corinthians 4:9
1. Who was Saul really persecuting?
2. What was his early experience of proclaiming Christ?
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