JOBIE's Life 生活札記

Chapter 5: What Truths do you need to turn to? 你应该转向什么真理？

1. Trying to change behaviour alone doesn't work because the lies that create that behaviour are still there.

单单只想要改变行为没有果效，因为罪背后的谎言仍然存在。

2. Just as lies about God lead to the slavery of sin, so the truth about God leads to the freedom of service.

 正如谎言领我们成为罪的奴隶，同样神的真理也会使我们得释放。

3. Lloyd Jones said: "Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?" Our problem is that we think with our feelings. We don't always feel joy in God, but by faith we can tell ourselves he is our joy.

我们的问题在于我们常跟随自己的感觉。我们不一定常感觉到在主里的喜乐，但凭着信心我们可以知道他是我们的喜乐。

4. One common reason why we sin is that we crave the approval of people or we fear their rejection. We talking of 'needing' the approval or acceptance of others, but our true need is to glorify God and love people.

我们常犯罪的其中一个原因是我们渴慕得到别人的认同，或害怕别人的拒绝或排挤，但我们真正需要做的是荣耀神，及爱人。

5. The answer to the fear of man is fear of God. We need a big view of God. To fear God is to respect, worship, trust and submit to him. If you are controlled by people's expectations, then you need to learn the fear of the Lord.

 害怕被人拒绝或排挤的解决方法是敬畏神

6. Whenever you see someone whom you fear or whose approval you crave, imagine God next to them. Who is the more glorious, majestic, holy, beautiful, threatening, and loving? Whose approval really matters to you?

每当你看到你害怕被拒绝的人，或你希望得到认同的人，试想像神在他们的旁边，谁更加荣耀，全能，圣洁，美丽，慈爱？谁的认同对你更加重要？

7. The fear of God is liberating. We take people's expectations seriously because we want to love them as God commanded. But we're not enslaved by them. We don't serve them for what they can give us in return -- approval, affection, security or whatever. By submitting to Christ's lordship, we are free to serve others in love. (Galatians 5: 13)

敬畏神是得释放的。我们在乎别人的期望因为我们想要照着神所吩咐的爱他们，但我们并不是被别人的期望捆绑，我们服事人不是想要得到别人的认同，称赞，安全感等。把自己交托在基督的带领下，我们能够在爱中自由的服事别人。

8. God is good, so we do not have to look elsewhere. Whatever sin offers, God offers more, for God offers us himself. God isn't just good; he is better - better than everything else, and the true source of all joy.

神是美好的。 罪能够给我们的，神给的更多，因为神给我们他自己。神不只是好的，他比任何东西更好，他是喜乐的源头。

9. One of our problems is that we think only of moments. In the moment, we think the pleasures of sin are real and the joy of God is insubstantial or distant. But the truth is the other way round: every joy we experience is but a shadow of the source of all joy, which is God. Marriage, for example, is a reflection of the joy of union with God; adultery is a distorted reflection.If you commit adultery then you've settled for less than living water.

我们的其中一个问题在于我们只想到当下。当下，我们只想到罪给我们的快乐是真实的，而神给的喜乐不切实际和很遥远。但事实是相反的，所有我 们在今生享受的快乐只是将来真正的喜乐的倒影。比方说，婚姻是与神连结的喜乐的反映，而淫乱却是他被扭曲的影子。如果你犯奸淫，你其实只满足于不比活水更 好的东西。

10. Life with God and for God is the best life you could live. Change is about enjoying the freedom from sin and delight in God that God gives to us through Jesus.

与神同行及为神而活的生命是你能够活出最好的生命。改变是享受得释放的自由和藉着基督享受神的同在。

11. Without grace, we view life as a contract between us and God: we do good works and in return he blesses us. When things go well, we're filled with pride. But when things go badly, wither we blame ourselves and feel guilty or we blame God and feel bitter. But the contract or covenant between us and God already reads 'Paid in full by the blood of Jesus'. Only when we grasp God's grace are we free to serve him for his own sake, not for reward.

没有了恩典，我们视生命只是一个人与神的契约：我们行善神便祝福我们，一切顺利时，我 们便骄傲，但我们犯罪或生命不顺利，我们会怪罪自己并感到内疚，或我们会怪神并感到苦毒。但这份契约其实已经写上“已被耶稣的宝血付清”只有当我们抓住神 的恩典，我们才可以自由的服事他，并不是为了自己。

12. We can sin only if we suffer from a radical loss of perspective. Only if we forget that God is great and good can we sin. We forget our God and the identity he gives.

只有当我们忘记神是伟大又良善时，我们会犯罪。我们忘了我们的神，和他给我们的身份。

13. First, we need to nurture our trust in God's greatness, fear of God's glory, delight in God's goodness, longing for God's future, rest in God's grace. Second, when we face temptation we need to say not only 'I should not do this', but also 'I need not do this' To say to temptation 'I must not do this' is legalism. To say 'I need not do this because God is bigger and better' is good news.

第一，我们应该更加信靠神是大能的，敬畏神的荣耀，享 受在神的美善，渴望将来的国度，安息在神的恩典里。第二，当我们遇见试探，我们不单能说“我不可以这样做”，也能够说“我不需要这样做”。对试探说“我不 可以这样做”是律法主义，说“我不需要这样做”因为神更大更好，这是一个好消息。

Chapter 6: What desires do you need to turn form?

1. God's agenda for our lives is for us to be holy, just as he is holy. This holiness is the fruit of what we think or trust and what we desire or worship. We sin because we desire or worship idols instead of worshipping God.

神对我们生命的计划是要我们成为圣洁，正如神是圣洁的。圣洁是我们思想，信靠，追求和敬拜的果实。我们犯罪是因为我们追求或敬拜偶像，而不敬拜神。

2. Our double sin is, first, rejecting the truth of God's greatness and goodness, and second, placing our affections elsewhere.

我们的罪是双重的，第一，我们拒绝神是伟大和美好的真理，第二，我们把我们的眼目和喜爱转向其他的地方。

3 Our idols are those things we count on to give our lives meaning. They are the things of which we say 'I need this to make me happy' or 'If I don't have this my life is worthless and meaningless.' Your idol is whatever you are greedy for. It may be money, approval, sex or power.

偶像是我们依靠或给我们的生命意义的东西。他们是，我们会说‘我需要这些使我开心’或‘没有了他我的生命没有价值和意义’的东西。偶像是你贪爱的东西，有可能是金钱，别人的认同，性，权力等。

4. Desire or lust is more than liking. It is the will to possess. Lust turns good things into objects of worship. Whatever you treasure most is the thing that has your heart and controls your life.

欲望不只是普通的喜爱，而是想要占有的愿望。欲望把好的东西变成敬拜的对象。你最珍惜的东西有能力控制你的心和生命。

5. Sin begins with desire. That's why we can't change ourselves simply by changing our behaviour. We need god to change us by renewing our hearts and giving us new desires.

罪始于欲望。这就是为什么我们不能够单凭行为而改变。我们需要神更新我们的心和给我们新的欲望来改变我们。

6. Desire itself isn't wrong. Desire is part of being human. We should desire God and his glory. A sinful desire is a desire that is bigger than God. It could be a desire for a good thing that has become more important to us than God.

欲望本身不是罪，他是人的自然本能。我们应该追求神和他的荣耀。但有罪的欲望是任何高过对神的追求的欲望 。这有可能是一个好的东西，但他在我们的心中取代了神的地位。

7. To want to be married or successful or healthy, for example, is to desire a good thing. but if my singleness or failure or illness makes me bitter, then my desire has grown too big, bigger than my desire for God. As a result, I cannot be content with God's sovereignty over my life.

比方说，想要结婚，成功，健康是好的追求，但如果我的单身，失败和疾病使我产生苦毒，我的欲望便已经大过对神的追求，因此我不能对神在我生命中的主权感到满足或喜乐。

8. The world is full of good things given by God. We can and indeed should enjoy them. But they're meant as bridges to joy in God. We delight in the gift and the Giver. But a good thing can become a 'god-thing' if it eclipses God, if the gift matters more to us than the Giver.

这世界有很多从神而来美好的东西。我们可以也应该享受在其中。但他们只是享受在神的喜乐的桥梁。我们喜爱神的礼物和神自己。但如果我们注重神给的礼物多过神本身, 美好的东西有可能会变成崇拜的对象。

9. God promises to meet our true needs, but we can't expect him to satisfy our selfish desires. God isn't the key to the good life. He is the good life. He defines the good life.

神答应会满足我们的需要，但我们不能够期望神会满足我们自私的欲望。神不是通往美好生命的钥匙，神本身就是美好的生命，神定义什么才是美好的生命。

10. Sin arises because we desire something more than we desire God. Overcoming sin begins by reversing this process: desiring God more than other things. The Bible calls this 'repentance'. The word means 'turning': we turn away from our idolatrous desires and turn in faith towards God.

罪产生因为我们追求别的东西胜过追求神。要胜过罪，就必须追求神过于其他的东西。圣经告诉我们这叫悔改。悔改的意思是转向：我们必须转离有崇拜性的欲望，而凭着信心转向神。

11. Repentance (turning from sinful desires) or mortification (killing off sinful desires) is Christ's work for us and the Spirit's work in us.

悔改（转离罪恶）或杀死罪恶是基督为我们所做的，和圣灵在我们里面所做的。

12. You discover that a desire is sinful when it produces bad fruit in your life. ... When our thoughts are filled with the glory of God and our lives are filled with the service of God, there'll be less room for sin and temptation.

你会发现那个欲望是有罪的，当你发现有不好的果子在你的生命中，但当我们的思想被神的荣耀充满，及我们的生命被服事神充满，能够容纳罪和试探的空间就小了。

13. Turning to God in faith and turning form sin in repentance are the same movement. Try it now. Stand facing the window. Then turn to face the opposite wall. The act of turning from the window and the act of turning towards the wall is one movement. You can't turn towards the wall without turning away form the window. When we trust God, we're affirming that he's bigger and better than our sinful desires. Repentance is in itself an act of faith.

凭信心转向神，和悔改转离罪恶是同一种行动。试看，站着面对窗口，然后转身面对背后的墙壁。转离窗口，和转向墙壁是一个行动，你不能不转离窗口，但却转向墙壁。当我们信靠神，我们便是宣告神比罪和欲望更大更好。悔改是信心的行为。

Chapter 7. What Stops you changing? 什么让你停止改变？

1. The number one reason why people don't change is pride, closely followed by hating the consequences of sin, but actually still loving the sin itself.

人们不改变的第一原因是骄傲，紧接着是恨恶罪所带来的后果，但事实上是人们其实还是喜爱罪本身。

2. One of the main ways in which pride wrecks the process of change is when we hide our sin from others. We want good reputation, so we hide, we pretend, we don't seek help. We love our reputation more than we hate sin.

阻止你改变的其中一个原因是我们向别人隐藏我们的罪。我们想要好的名声，所以我们隐藏，掩饰，不寻求其他人的帮助。我们喜爱自己的名声过于我们厌恶罪。

3. Sin is like mould: it grows best in the dark. Expose it to the light and it starts to dry up. Hiding leads to sin and sin leads to hiding. But grace breaks the cycle. Grace disarms the fear of exposure, bringing us in the light, into the arena of change.

罪在黑暗里成长得更好，把罪曝光，他就开始蒸发。隐藏会引导我们犯罪，罪又会领我们隐藏。但恩典打破这样的循环，恩典粉碎对曝光的害怕，把我们置于亮光中，引导我们改变。

4. Every day I struggle between the desire to be known as holy and the desire actually to be holy. The truth I need to keep telling myself is that reputation is a small price to pay for the joy of knowing more of God and reflecting his glory.

每一天我们都在挣扎于想要被人认为是圣洁的，和真正想要成为圣洁。但其实，我们必须不断告诉自己名声，和更加认识神的喜乐与反映神的荣耀不能相比。

John Flavel identified six arguments Satan uses in tempting us, together with model responses. Spot the voice of temptation in your life and identify how you should respond.

这里有六个撒旦常用来试探我们的谎言，和应作的回应。找出这些试探在你生命里的声音，并想想你该如何回应。

1. The pleasure of sin 罪带来的快乐

Temptation: Look at my smiling face and listen to my charming voice. Here is pleasure

                   to be enjoyed. Who can stay away from such delights?

试探：看看我的笑脸，听听我美丽的声音，这里有你能够享受的快乐，有谁能拒绝这种快乐？

The believer: The pleasure of sin are real, but so are the pangs of conscience and the

                     flames of hell. The pleasures of sin are real, but pleasing God is much

                     sweeter.

信徒：罪带来的快乐是真实的，但与良知的冲击和地狱的火也是真实的。罪带来的快乐或许真

         实，但讨神喜悦更加甜蜜。

2. The secrecy of sin 罪的隐秘

Temptation: The sin will never disgrace you in public because no one will ever find out.

试探：罪不会把你曝露于公众，因为没有人会知道。

The believer: Can you find somewhere without the presence of God for me to sin?

信徒：你能找到一处是没有神的同在使我可以犯罪的吗？

3. The profit of sin 罪的好处

Temptation: If you just stretch your conscience a little, you will gain so much. This is

                   your opportunity.

试探：只要你稍微伸展一点你的良知，你就会得到很多。这是你的机会。

The believer: What do I benefit if I gain the whole world but lose my own soul? I won't

                    risk my soul for all the good in this world.

信徒：如果我赚得了全世界，却赔上自己的生命，那有什么益处呢？我不会为了世界可以给的好

         处而牺牲我的生命和灵魂。

4.The smallness of sin 罪的渺小

Temptation: It's only a little thing, a small matter, a trifle. Who else would worry about

                   such a trivial thing?

试探: 这只是很小的罪，很微不足道的，有谁会为这样琐碎的罪操心？

The believer: Is the majesty of heaven a small matter too? If I commit this sin, I will

                    offend and wrong a great God. Is there any little hell to torment little

                    sinners? Great wrath awaits those the world thinks are little sinners. The

                    less the sin, the less the reason to commit it! Why should I be unfaithful

                    towards God for such a trifle?

信徒: 难道天堂的宏伟也是小事？如果我继续犯罪，我是在得罪大能又美善的神。难道还有比较小

        的地狱来惩罚那些小罪人？神极大的愤怒在等着那些在世上认为是小罪人的人。如果那罪真

        的微不足道，那更没有必要去犯！为什么要为了这样琐碎的事而对神不忠心呢？

5. The Grace of God 神的恩典

Temptation: God will pass over this as a weakness. He won't make a big deal of it.

试探：上帝一定会把这罪当作是人的软弱，他不会小题大做。

The believer: Where do I find a promise of mercy to presumptuous sinners? How can I

                     abuse such a good God? Shall I take God's glorious mercy and make it a

                     reason to sin? Shall I wrong him because he is good?

信徒: 就因为这恩典，我们就可以滥用吗？难道我们要将神的慈爱和恩典当作是我们可以继续犯罪

        的理由吗？

6. The example of others 他人的示范

Temptation: Better people than you have sinned in this way. And plenty of people have

                   been restored after committing this sin.

试探：很多比我好的人也都这么做。

The believer: God didn't record the examples of good people sinning for me to copy,

                     but to warn me. Am I willing to feel what they felt for sin? I dare not follow

                     their example in case God plunges me into the deeps of horror he cast

                     them into.

信徒：神没有把比你好的人犯罪的例子录下叫你学习，而是警告我们。我们不能跟从别人的例子

         犯罪，免得神把我们陷入更恐怖的深渊。

这些是面对试探时撒旦的谎言，找找看哪一些常出现，或自己最容易被动摇，并想看你应该怎么回答。以上只是一些例子，可以跟其他信徒讨论如何应对，并祷告寻求神的帮助。