Christadelphian Bible Mission BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

基督弟兄会圣经传教 基本圣经真理

The Devil WHO OR WHAT IS IT?

魔鬼，是谁或者是什么?

 

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

1. Is there a supernatural devil?

2. Why does the Bible talk about the devil?  

3. Is a supernatural devil tempting you to sin?

4. How can you be saved from sin and death?

 

当你读了本小册子，你就能明白下列问题的答案：

1. 有没有超凡的魔鬼?

2. 为什么圣经谈论魔鬼?

3. 是不是超凡的魔鬼引诱你犯罪?

4. 你如何能从罪孽和死亡中得救?            

 

1. IS THERE A SUPERNATURAL DEVIL?

1. 有没有超凡的魔鬼?

 

God makes one thing very clear in the Bible： "I am God， and there is no other; I am God， and there is none like me" (Isaiah 46：9， New King James Version). No superhuman power resists God's will. The devil of popular opinion does not exist. If we want to know the source of evil， we have to look elsewhere.

神在圣经里有一件事情说得非常明确：“我是神，并无别神；我是神，再没有能比我的” (以赛亚书46：9，新英皇钦定本)。任何超人的能力都不能违抗神的旨意。并不存在人们通常认为的魔鬼。如果我们希望知道魔鬼的根源，只能到别处去找。

The Bible leaves us in no doubt as to where the blame lies. Man is tempted from within himself. Hear what Jesus， the Son of God， said： "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart， and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts， murders， adulteries， fornication， thefts， false wit­ness， blasphemies" (Matthew 15：18，19).

圣经没有让我们疑虑谁之过。人受到试探的原因在于其本身。让我们听一听神的儿子耶稣是怎么说的： “惟独出口的，是从心里发出来的，这才污秽人。因为从心里发出来的，有恶念、凶杀、奸淫、苟合、偷盗、妄证、谤渎” (马太福音15：18，19)。

Jesus confirms what God had told Noah long ago： "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8：21). Jeremiah 17：9 says： "The heart is deceitful above all things， and desperately wicked."

耶稣证实了神很早前就晓谕挪亚的话：“人从小时心里怀着恶念”(创世记8：21)。耶利米书17：9 说：“人心比万物都诡诈，坏到极处。”

James agrees with all these sayings. He concludes： "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then， when desire has con­ceived， it gives birth to sin; and sin， when it is full-grown， brings forth death" (James 1：14，15).

雅各赞同这些说法。他概括说：“但各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。私欲既怀了胎，就生出罪来；罪既长成，就生出死来”(雅各1：14，15)。

Notice that no mention is made in any of these passages of a supernatural devil. We need to look no further than ourselves to see from where evil comes.

请注意所有这些章节中都没有提到过超凡的魔鬼。要知道魔鬼来自何方，我们只需要检查自己就行了。

 

2. Why does the Bible talk about the devil?

2. 为什么圣经谈论魔鬼?

 

It is true that the Bible talks about the devil as if it had a real personality. We must remember， however， that the Bible is rich in using "picture language". It gives personalities to other things also which are not people.

确实，圣经谈起魔鬼好像它是真人一样。但我们必须记住圣经经常使用“形象化的语言”。不是人的东西也常常被赋予了人性化。

In the story of Cain and Abel， blood is given a personality. Speaking to Cain， God said： "What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground" (Genesis 4：10). It happens again with wisdom， which is spoken of as a woman： "Happy is the man who finds wisdom ... she is more precious than rubies; and all the things you  may desire cannot compare withher" (Proverbs 3：13-15). In Matthew 6：24， Jesus himself speaks of money ("mammon") as being a master. This should not surprise us. We often talk like that ourselves. We say， "Fire is a good servant， but a bad master". We don't really believe that fire is a man.

在该隐和亚伯的故事中，血被赋予了人性。神对该隐说：“你做了什么事呢？你兄弟的血有声音从地里向我哀告”(创世记4：10)。智慧也被说成是人：“得智慧，得聪明的，这人便为有福…其利益强如精金比珍珠（或作：红宝石）宝贵；你一切所喜爱的，都不足与比较” (箴言3：15)。在马太福音6：24中，耶稣亲口把钱(“财富”)说成是主人。这不应使我们感到惊奇。我们自己也常常那样说。我们说：“火是一位好仆人，但也是一位坏主人。”我们不会真把火看成是一个人。

In the same way， evil and sin are sometimes given a personality. This helps us realise just how big sin is， and how dangerous sins are to our salvation. This is proved by comparing two Bible pas­sages. Listen to the "picture language" used in Hebrews 2：14： "... that through death he (Jesus) might destroy him who had the power of death， that is， the devil." What is this devil? What has the "power of death"? Romans 6：23 tells us： "For the wages of sin is death." Sin is powerful and brings death. Your life is a constant battle against sin. Sin is your real enemy， not a supernatural devil.

同样，魔鬼和罪孽有时也被赋予了人性化。这有助于我们认识到罪孽多么巨大，罪孽对我们的拯救构成了多么巨大的危险。我们比较两段圣经的经文就能得出这样的结论。让我们听一下希伯来书。2：14中使用的“形象语言”：“特要藉着死败坏那掌死权，就是魔鬼。”什么是魔鬼呢? “死权”有什么呢？罗马书6：23告诉我们：“罪孽的工价是死亡”。罪是有能力的，能带来死亡。你的生命在于不断地与罪孽作斗争。罪是你的真敌，不是超凡的魔鬼。

Particularly in the Old Testament， the word "Satan" is often used for forces which stand in the way of God： "Satan" means 'adversary'， but it is mostly left untranslated. In the New Testament the Greek word diabolos occurs 38 times; 35 times it is translated "devil". Its original meaning was 'one who accuses'. In fact it is twice translated "false accusers" and once as "slanderers"， because in those passages， the translators of the Bible knew that it would not have made sense to use the word "devil". In Titus 2：3， the advice given by Paul to older women was to be reverent in the way they lived， "not slanderers" (diabolos). And in 1 Timothy 3：11， Christian wives are told to be rever­ent，， "not slanderers" (diabolos).

尤其是在旧约圣经中，“撒但”这个词经常使用，指那些违抗神的道的各种力量。“撒但”的意思是“敌手”， 但这个词经常使用原文，不作翻译。在新约圣经中希腊词“diabolos”出现38次；有35 次被译成“魔鬼”。其愿意是“指控他人的人”。事实上有两次被译成“假指控者”，一次被译成“谗言”，因为在这些经文段落中，圣经的译者认为使用“魔鬼”这个词没有意义。在堤多书2：3，彼得建议年老的妇人举止行动要恭敬，“不说谗言”(diabolos)。在提摩太前书3：11， 基督徒的妻子被奉劝必须端庄，“不说谗言”(diabolos)。

It would have been foolish for the translators to use the w ord "devil" in either passage. Older women and Christian wives are obviously not "the devil". You must not picture a super­natural devil every time you read the word "devil". That would be a big mistake.

如果译者在上述段落中使用“魔鬼”这个词都是愚蠢的。年老的妇人和基督徒的妻子显然都不是“魔鬼”。你每次读到“魔鬼”这个词没有必要都想象出超凡的魔鬼。如果那样，则大错。

Jesus said in John 6：70： "Did I not cho­sen you， the twelve， and one of you is a devil?" But Judas was a man， not "a devil". If the translators had said， "One of you is a slanderer"， the meaning would have been very clear. Judas later betrayed Jesus with a kiss. He was a false friend indeed， but he was not a supernatural devil.

耶稣在约翰福音6：70中说：“我不是拣选了你们十二个门徒吗？但你们中间有一个是魔鬼。”但犹大是一个人，不是“魔鬼”。 如果译者说：“你们当中有一个是谗言者”，意思就很清楚了。犹太人后来一吻背叛了耶稣。他确实是一位假装朋友，但他不是超凡的魔鬼。

We need to look carefully at the Scriptures to understand who or what is the devil. Think about Revelation 2：10， where believers at Smyrna were told： “The devil is about to throw some of you into prison." Does it make sense to you that a supernatural devil literally put believers into prison? It cannot be so， because we know the Romans did that. It is an exam­ple of evil at work. Time and again we see the word "devil" used to symbolise evil.

我们有必要仔细阅读圣经，理解一下谁是魔鬼或者什么是魔鬼。请思考一下启示录2：10，士每拿的信徒得知：“魔鬼要把你们中间几个人下在监里”。从字面上理解超凡的魔鬼把信徒投入监狱里有什么意义吗? 不可能是这样，因为我们知道是罗马人做了那事。那是一个罪恶的例子。我们再次看到“魔鬼”这个词用于象征罪恶。

Sin is at work because men， left to themselves， do not follow the ways of God. The terms "devil"， "satan" and "demons" do not refer to immortal tempters in their original meanings. There is no such being as a supernatural tempter.

罪孽工作是因为人类使其然，他们没有顺从神的道路。术语“魔鬼”、“撒但”和“恶魔”在原意上并非指那些不会腐坏的试探者。没有这样超凡的试探者。

 

3. IS A SUPERNATURAL DEVIL TEMPTING YOU TO SIN?

3. 是不是超凡的魔鬼引诱你犯罪?

 

From what we have considered so far， the answer must be "No!" We must take full　responsibility for our own sins. We have already seen that evil thoughts and actions come from the heart (Matthew 15：18，19). Paul says： "All have sinned" (Romans 3：23). Do you think that God would blame us， if the fault lay with a supernatural devil? Surely not.

经上所述，答案肯定是“不是”！我们必须为自己的罪孽负全责。我们已经知道恶念和行为来自内心(马太福音15：18，19)。保罗说：“世人都犯了罪”(罗马书3：23)。如果责任在于超凡的魔鬼，你认为神还会责怪我们吗？当然不会。

We are mortal because of Adam's dis­obedience to God's laws. But we each deserve our own death sentence. We have all earned "the wages of sin" for ourselves. Those wages are death (Romans 6：23).

我们腐朽是因为亚当违反了神的律法。我们每个人理当被判决死亡。我们大家都挣得了“罪的工价”。 这些工价是死(罗马书6：23)。

Only when we are willing to admit that we are fully to blame for our own sins can God work with us. Only then shall we marvel that in spite of our weakness， God is willing to save us.

只有当我们愿意承认自己要承担罪孽时，神才能为我们工作。只有那时我们才会惊叹，仅管我们自己软弱，但神还是愿意拯救我们。

 

4.      HOW CAN YOU  BE SAVED FROM SIN AND DEATH?

4.      你如何能从罪孽和死亡中得救呢?

 

One thing is certain. You cannot save yourself. The Bible makes that very clear. However， you can be saved， thanks to God's mercy. He has given us a way of escape from sin and death. By the sacri­fice of His Son， Jesus Christ， He has opened the way to everlasting life. He invites you to share in the victory of Jesus over sin.

有一件事情是肯定的。你自己无法拯救自己。圣经对此说得很明确。但由于神的怜悯，你能得救。神已赐予我们一种逃避罪孽和死亡的方法。他牺牲儿子耶稣基督，为我们打开了通向永生的道。他请你分享耶稣战胜罪孽的胜利。

Jesus lived a perfect life and then he "died for us" (1 Thessalonians 5：10). Through faith in Jesus as your Saviour， God is willing to forgive your sins. By baptism into the name of Jesus (Mark 16：16) and by obeying His command­ments (John 15：8-13)， you can be saved from sin and death. Resurrection from the dead to live for ever can be your hope. Jesus came to take both sin and death away， for， "he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1：21)， and "the last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15：26).

耶稣过着完全的生活，然后“替我们死”（帖撒罗尼亚前书5：10）。因为我们信仰耶稣是救世主，神就愿意饶恕我们的罪。以耶稣的名受洗(马可福音16：16)和顺从他的诫命(约翰福音15：8-13)，你就能从罪孽和死亡中得救。从死亡中复活得永生就是你的希望。耶稣来到世上转嫁了罪孽和死亡，因为“他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来”(马太福音1：21)，“尽末了所毁灭的仇敌，就是死”(哥林多前书15：26)。

God asks you to take responsibility， not only for your sins， but also for your life. You have no need to fear a non­existent supernatural devil. Rather you should listen to these words of wisdom： "Fear God and keep his commandments， for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12：13).

神要你承担责任，不仅为了你的罪孽，还为了你的生命。你无需害怕并不存在的超凡恶魔。相反你要听一听这些智慧的话：“敬畏神，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分”(传道书12：13)。

If you live like that now， the ultimate blessing of everlasting life will be yours， when Jesus returns to Jerusalem to establish God's kingdom on earth： "For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life for evermore" (Psalm 133：3).

如果你现在就这样生活，最后当耶稣返回到耶路撒冷在地球上建立神的国时永生的福气就属于你了：“因为在那里有耶和华所命定的福，就是永远的生命”(诗篇133：3)。

 

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