不叫我们遇见试探
雅各书一章1至14节
1作神和主耶稣基督仆人的雅各请散住十二个支派之人的安。
2我的弟兄们,你们落在百般试炼中,都要以为大喜乐;
3因为知道你们的信心经过试验,就生忍耐。
4但忍耐也当成功,使你们成全、完备,毫无缺欠。
5你们中间若有缺少智慧的,应当求那厚赐与众人、也不斥责人的神,主就必赐给他。
6只要凭着信心求,一点不疑惑;因为那疑惑的人,就像海中的波浪,被风吹动翻腾。
7这样的人不要想从主那里得甚么。
8心怀二意的人,在他一切所行的路上都没有定见。
9卑微的弟兄升高,就该喜乐;
10富足的降卑,也该如此;因为他必要过去,如同草上的花一样。
11太阳出来,热风刮起,草就枯干,花也凋谢,美容就消没了;那富足的人,在他所行的事上也要这样衰残。
12忍受试探的人是有福的,因为他经过试验以后,必得生命的冠冕;这是主应许给那些爱他之人的。
13人被试探,不可说:「我是被神试探」;因为神不能被恶试探,他也不试探人。
14但各人被试探,乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。
信息分享
那么,「不叫我们遇见试探」这句祈求又是甚么意思呢?神当然不会带领我们进入试探之中。著名的希腊学者罗拔信博士(Dr.A.T.Robertson)将这句经文翻译为:「不要让我们被引诱进入试探。」奥古斯丁对这句经文的翻译亦大致相同。我们可以祷告说:「求你保守我们,使我们不会遇见一些无力抗拒的试探,不会遭到撒但的攻击,不会被世俗和我们本身的邪情私欲牵引和诱惑。」我们若不能像小孩子般,从内心发出这个单纯的祈求,我们便很容易在毫无防备下失足跌倒。
是不是所有试探都是出于撒但的诡计?答案可以是「是」,但也可以是「否」。撒但当然会试探我们,但他还有两位「得力助手」。首先,就是这个远离神的世界,这个充满贪婪和物质主义挂帅的世界。它虽然充斥着谎话、欺骗和诡诈,但它却有莫大的吸引力,随时会引诱我们犯罪。
然后,就是我们每个人里面的旧本性。这种旧本性只想满足自己,而且,它还贪爱世界、容易嫉妒、批评、憎恨别人和乱发脾气。试探犹如星星之火,足以燃起我们的各种欲火,使我们引火自焚。
我们有甚么出路呢?唯有呼求天父的帮助:「救我们脱离凶恶。」神当然有能力拯救我们,祂也极愿意救助我们。只要我们呼求祂的帮助,祂必然为我们开一条出路。请翻到哥林多前书十章13节,重复读它好几遍,直至你深深领受当中的真理。当你遇到试探的时候,切记马上呼求主说:「主啊,求你释放我、保护我、拯救我、坚固我、保守我,使我现在就能胜过。父啊,我是你的儿女,我信靠你的保护,谢谢你。」
牢记:只要你求救主帮助,祂必领你抵达平安之地。
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.

