Christadelphian Bible Mission--BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

基督弟兄会圣经传教--基本圣经真理

Coping with Poverty, HOW CAN THE BIBLE HELP?

面对贫穷，圣经是如何帮助我们的？

 

When you have read this leaflet you will know the answers to these ques­tions:

1. Is there anything in this life worsethan poverty?

2.   Does God care about poor people?

3.   What advice does the Bible give about coping with poverty?

4.   What difference will the coming kingdom of God make to poor people?

 

当你读了本小册子，你就能明白下列问题的答案：

1. 生活中有比穷困更坏的东西吗？

2. 神关心穷人吗？

3. 面对贫困圣经有什么忠告吗？

4. 神未来的国对穷人有什么不同呢？

 

1. IS ANYTHING IN THIS LIFE WORSE THAN POVERTY?

1. 生活中有比贫困更坏的东西吗？

 

Yes, many things are worse.

有的，有许多东西都比贫困更坏。

•  Imagine having a severe physical handicap. Remember this saying, "I had the blues because I had no shoes, until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet."

•      Imagine being put in prison for a crime you did not commit. Would you rather be unjustly punished and in prison, or poor but free? Treasure freedom.

•      Imagine one of your children dying as you read this leaflet. Would you rather have riches, or your child alive again? All parents know that a child is much more precious.

•  想象一下严重的身体障碍。请牢记这句话，“我一直抱怨没有鞋子脚冻得青一块紫一块，直到有一天我在街上看到一个没有脚的人。”

•      想象你因为莫须有的罪名被投入监牢。你宁愿受到不公正的惩罚，被投入监牢，还是宁愿贫穷但有自由呢？我们要珍惜自由。

•      想象一下你在阅读本册子时你的子女不久人世。你宁愿家产万贯，还是宁愿孩子活着呢？所有的父母都知道孩子无限珍贵。

In spiritual terms, being rich is much more dangerous than being poor! Jesus Christ said, "Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation" (Luke 6:24). He also said, "what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and for­feits his life" (Matthew 16:26).

从精神上讲，富裕比贫穷更危险! 耶稣基督说：“但你们富足的人有祸了！因为你们受过你们的安慰” （路加福音6：24）。他还说：“人若赚得全世界，赔上自己的生命，有甚么益处呢”（马太福音16：26）？

Do not worry about being poor. James says "Listen ... has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those that love him" (James 2:5).

不要担心贫穷。雅各就说：“请听，神岂不是拣选了世上的贫穷人，叫他们在信上富足，并承受他所应许给那些爱他之人的国吗”（雅各书2：5）？

 

2. Does God care about poor people?

2. 神关心穷人吗？

 

Of course He does! God understands that being poor brings many problems. He knows that just trying to survive, working hard and enduring the mental stress of providing for your family every day, can leave little time for anything else.

他当然关心! 神知道贫穷会带来许多问题。他知道为了生存每天都要辛勤工作，为持家忍受精神压力，剩下来做其它事情的时间已经不多了。

That is why God made special provi­sion for the poor in the laws He gave in the Old Testament. Farmers had to leave corn in their fields so that the poor could gather it. Sometimes families had to sell their land to survive. God commanded that every fiftieth year, the land must be returned to its origi­nal owner (Leviticus 25:8-17). Even working cattle has rights to food!

正因如此，神在旧约圣经中的律法里对穷人有特别的规定。农夫必须把玉米留在田里，使穷人有所得。有时某些家庭必须卖地才能生存。神规定每隔五年地必须回到原始所有者的手中（利未记25：8-17）。即使耕牛也有吃食的权利！

Jesus also knew that it was hard for hungry people to listen carefully to his teaching. He fed five thousand on one day and another four thousand people later. Both God and Jesus taught that we all have a duty to care about poor people.

耶稣还知道饥饿时很难认真听他的传教。他有一天喂养了五千人，另一天喂养了四千人。神和耶稣都教导我们有责任关心穷人。

 

3. What advice does the Bible give about coping with poverty?

3. 面对贫困圣经有什么忠告吗？

 

The Bible gives us both practical and spiritual advice about coping with pover­ty. The two main pieces of practical help are:

圣经关于处理贫困既有实践上的忠告又有精神上的忠告。两条忠告都有实际帮助意义：

How to make a little go a long way. How does the Bible do that? By stressing the very important qualities of self-disci­pline and good management. These qualities help Christian families to careful­ly manage whatever they have. No Christian will waste money on smoking, drinking or gambling as the family suffers. Care for their children, food, clothing and shelter will always be their top priorities.

如何掌握主动权。圣经是怎么做的呢? 圣经强调自律和良好经营的重要品质。这些品质能帮助基督徒家庭谨慎地管理他们拥有的一切。在家庭困难的时候没有哪位基督徒会把钱浪费在吃、喝、赌上。照料子女，衣、食、住始终是他们优先考虑的事情。

By encouraging all Christians to develop Godly characters. This may not　sound like practical advice, but think about it. A Christian's personal qualities may help to get work, if not currently employed. For employed Christians, per­sonal qualities may help to keep them in work.

鼓励所有的基督徒培养属灵的品质。这听起来不像实际的忠告，但请考虑一下。即使现在没有从业，基督徒的人品也有助于他们获得工作。对于已经从业的基督徒，他们的人品有助于保持工作。

A Christian should be an employer's ideal worker. Why? Because Christians must be honest, reliable, self-controlled, hardworking and cheerful. Such good per­sonal qualities are rare. They are valued by employers. The Apostle Peter told Christians to work well, even for bad employers! (1 Peter 2:18-25). Paul told them to, "obey your earthly masters ... as

servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart"(Ephesians 6:5-8). What more could an employer want?

基督徒应成为老板理想的工人。为什么呢？因为基督徒必定诚实、可靠、自律、勤劳和愉快。这些良好的人品是不多见的。他们受到老板的尊重。使徒彼得告诫基督徒要好好工作，即使是为那些坏老板（彼得前书2：18-25）！彼得告诉他们“好像服事主…不论是为奴的，是自主的，都必按所行的得主的赏赐”（以弗所书6：5-8）。老板还有何求呢？

The Bible tells us that both the extremes of poverty and riches have their problems. However, it offers so much helpful spiritual advice to the poor.

圣经告诉我们极端贫穷和极端富裕都有他们的问题。但圣经为穷人提供非常多的有益忠告。

Jesus had a great understanding of human nature. He knew that poor people would worry about the future, so his inspired words to the poor are, "do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on ... Look at the birds ... your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ... Why are you anxious about clothing? ... Your heav­enly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anx­ious about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:25-34). Do not forget the power of prayer.

耶稣极能理解人性。他知道穷人会关心未来，所以他鼓励穷人说：“不要为生命忧虑吃什么，喝什么；为身体忧虑穿什么...看那天上的飞鸟...你们的天父尚且养活他。你们不比飞鸟贵重得多吗？...何必为衣裳忧虑呢？..你们需用的这一切东西，你们的天父是知道的。你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。所以，不要为明天忧虑”（马太福音6：25-34）。不要忘记祈祷的力量。

Poor people often think about God more than rich people do. When Jesus preached about the coming kingdom of God, who listened? "The common peo­ple heard him gladly" (Mark 12:37 KJV). They felt their need of him. There will be more saints in the kingdom of God who were poor, rather than rich.

穷人比富人更经常想到神。当耶稣传教神未来的国时，谁在听呢？“众人都喜欢听他”（马可福音12：37 KJV）。他们自己需要他。在神的国里更多的圣徒是穷人，而不是富人。

With a knowledge of Bible teaching, the poor can understand the Apostle Paul when he said, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content" (Philippians 4:11). What! Be content when in poverty? Yes. People can steal material goods from you. But nobody can steal your hope of being in the kingdom of God, when Jesus　comes. If that is your greatest desire, you can be content, whatever may happen to you in this life.

理解了圣经的教训，穷人就能理解使徒保罗说的话：“我无论在什么景况都可以知足，这是我已经学会了” （腓力比书4：11）。什么！在贫困的时候也要知足吗？的是。人们可以盗走你的物质财富，但是任何人都无法偷得你在耶稣来临后生活在神的国里的希望。如果那是你最大的希望，你就能知足，无论在你的生命中发生什么事情。

Paul "suffered the loss of all things", but counted them, "as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" and "attain the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:8-11). He also wrote, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). Which is better, a few years of ease in this life, or a place in God's everlasting king­dom? If being poor helps you to think about, and want, the kingdom of God to come, what a blessing God has in store for you!

保罗“也将万事当作有损的”，但他很知足，“看作粪土，为要得着基督”和“得以从死里复活”（腓力比书3：8-11）。他还写到：“我想，现在的苦楚若比起将来要显于我们的荣耀就不足介意了”（罗马书8：18）。哪种更好呢，是几年安逸的生活还是在神永恒国里的位置呢？如果贫穷能帮助你思考这些，使你盼望神的国来临，那么神为你准备了多么巨大的福气啊！

 

4. What difference will the coming kingdom of god make to poor　PEOPLE?

4. 神未来的国对穷人有什么不同呢？

 

The coming kingdom of God on earth will make a major difference to the poor. With Jesus Christ as king of the world, bringing justice, love and peace, the poor will be blessed.

神未来在地球上的国对穷人有重大不同。当耶稣基督作为世界的王带来公义、爱心与和平时，穷人将得福。

King Jesus came from a poor family. He will not forget the poor when he comes. Poverty will be no more. What a wonderful time that will be.

国王耶稣来自贫困家庭。当他返回时不会忘记穷人。贫穷已消除。那将是多么愉快的时光啊！

Finally, there is one kind of hunger and thirst that should be your hearts desire. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for　they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6).

最终，你的心里应有饥渴的欲望。耶稣说：“饥渴慕义的人有福了！因为他们必得饱足。”（马太福音5：6）。

If you love God and keep His com­mandments now, you will have the joy of living for ever. There will be no more tears, no more hunger, no more heartache and　no more death. You will be one of God's immortal saints in His coming kingdom.

如果你现在爱神，遵循他的诫命，你就永远具有生活的快乐。不再有眼泪、饥饿、头痛和死亡。你将在他未来的国里成为神的一名不朽圣徒。

 

Please tell us if you would like to know more about Bible teaching and the beliefs of Christadelphians. Would you like:

•    Other leaflets in this series?

•    A booklet Who are the Christadelphians?

•    A monthly magazine Glad Tidings?

•    A Postal Correspondence Course?

Ask your nearest Christadelphians or write to:

CHRISTADELPHIAN BIBLE MISSION c/o 404 SHAFTMOOR LANE BIRMINGHAM B28 8SZ, UK

 

请告诉我们你是否希望了解更多有关圣经的教义和基督弟兄会的信仰。你是否需要:

•    本系列的其它小册子?

•    一本《谁是基督弟兄会》的小册子?

•    一份《好消息》月刊杂志?

•    一本邮寄的函授教材?

请向距你最近的基督弟兄会索取或写信给:

基督弟兄会圣经传教会

c/o 404 SHAFTMOOR LANE

BIRMINGHAM B28 8SZ，英国