2025-05-11 Friendship with the World or Faithfulness to God? 与世俗为友还是对神忠心？

(James 雅4;1-10)

Today, we’re looking at 今天我们来分享 James 雅4:1-10, What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 你们中间的争战、斗殴，是从哪里来的呢？不是从你们百体中战斗之私欲来的吗？2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 你们贪恋，还是得不着；你们杀害嫉妒，又斗殴争战，也不能得。你们得不着，是因为你们不求。3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 你们求也得不着，是因为你们妄求，要浪费在你们的宴乐中。4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 你们这些淫乱的人哪（“淫乱的人”原文作“淫妇”），岂不知与世俗为友就是与　神为敌吗？所以凡想要与世俗为友的，就是与　神为敌了。5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 你们想经上所说是徒然的吗？　神所赐住在我们里面的灵，是恋爱至于嫉妒吗？6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 但他赐更多的恩典，所以经上说：“　神阻挡骄傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。”7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 故此，你们要顺服　神。务要抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就必离开你们逃跑了。8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 你们亲近　神，　神就必亲近你们。有罪的人哪，要洁净你们的手；心怀二意的人哪，要清洁你们的心。9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 你们要愁苦、悲哀、哭泣，将喜笑变作悲哀，欢乐变作愁闷。10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 务要在主面前自卑，主就必叫你们升高。

James 4 starts with a confronting question: 雅各在第4章一开始就提出一个尖锐的问题：“What causes fights and quarrels among you?” “你们中间的争战斗殴是从哪里来的呢？” Then he answers it straight away: 然后他立刻回答：“Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” “岂不是从你们百体中战斗之私欲来的么？” In the Roman world, 在古罗马时期，success and social status were everything, 成功和社会地位至关重要，and those worldly values were creeping into the church. 那些世俗的价值观正渗入教会。Instead of living in peace, 信徒们不能和睦同居，the believers were caught up in competition, 而是陷入了争竞、arguments, 争论、jealousy, 嫉妒and power struggles. 和权力斗争中。In v.1-3, James says, “You want but don’t get, “你想也得不着，You don’t receive because you don’t ask God, 你得不着是因为你不求神，or you ask with wrong motives.” 或求的动机错误。”The real issue isn’t external but internal. 真正的问题不在外面而是内心。James calls the church to wake up! 雅各呼吁教会要醒过来！ Stop copying the world. 不要效法世界，stop chasing worldly success不要追逐世界的成功、comfort, 安逸、control. 掌控，Start living in humble dependence on God. 而是谦卑依靠神而活。

1, Deal with friendship with the world. 对付与世俗为友(v.4-5)

v.4, James uses strong language: 第四节，雅各严厉的说：“You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? 你们这些淫乱的人哪，岂不知与世俗为友就是与　神为敌吗？” He is not saying we shouldn’t have non-Christian friends. 雅各不是说不要有非基督徒的朋友，but warning us against adopting the world’s values而是警告我们不要接受世界的价值观。When we chase success, 当我们追求世界定义的成功、 wealth财富、titles, or reputation like the world titles, 头衔、名声，and trust what it trusts, 倚靠世界所倚靠的，we’ve switched loyalty.我们就背叛了神，That’s why James calls it spiritual unfaithfulness. 这是属灵上的不忠。

v,5 says, 第5节说，God longs jealously for the spirit He has placed in us. 神所赐住在我们里面的灵，是恋爱至于嫉妒吗？He wants our whole heart. 神渴望我们全然归向祂，He’s not indifferent. 神不是冷漠的，He’s not casual. 不是不在意的。He’s a jealous God, 祂是忌邪的神， in the purest and most faithful sense. 在圣洁和信实里忌邪。In Exo 出20:5, Where God says: 神说，“I, the Lord your God…am a jealous God.” “我耶和华……是忌邪的神。”His salvation is a covenant of love. 神赐救恩，是爱的约定, like a marriage vow 像婚姻的盟约：“I love you wholeheartedly，“我全心全意地爱你，I won’t share your heart with idols.” 我不要你爱着偶像，又爱我。” When Israel turned away from God, 当以色列人转去拜偶像，they suffered for generations. 他们世代都遭了难。They got lost and suffered. 他们走迷了路，受了痛苦。If we run to idols, 若我们拜自己所爱， we too will face consequences, 我们一样难逃后果，not because God is mean不是因为神苛刻，but because idolatry opens the door to destruction. 而是因拜偶像给败坏打了开门。A clear example is King Solomon. 所罗门王是典型案例。Despite his wisdom and wealth, 尽管神赐智慧和财富，he fell into the temptation of lust, 他掉进淫乱的试探中， marrying many foreign wives娶了很多外邦妻子， who led him into idolatry. 把他带进拜偶像中。In the end, his kingdom was torn apart because of his divided heart (1 Kings 王上11:1–11). 最后，因他对神的不忠，导致他的国被分裂了。That’s why it’s crucial to marry a person who loves God, 嫁娶爱主的人何等重要， as a godly spouse brings blessing to both the family and future generations. 一个敬虔的配偶把祝福带进婚姻家庭甚至后代。So, “Wake up! “醒来！You can’t love the world and love God at the same time. 你不能同时爱世界又爱神，You can’t scroll up and down on your phone and read your Bible at the same time. 不能同时刷手机又读圣经。Let Jesus be your first love. 当回到起初的爱来爱耶稣。You will experience the blessing of a heart fully satisfied in Him. 你会经历在祂里面的满足。”

2, Resist the devil and Submit to God. 抵挡魔鬼，顺服神 (v.6-7)

V.6 says, 第6节说， God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 神阻挡骄傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。 God doesn’t just point out the problem, 神不仅指出问题，He gives us the grace to change. 还赐我们恩典去更新。But it starts with humility. 但这一切都始于谦卑。Have you noticed that every time we pray for revival, 你是否发现，每当我们为复兴祷告时，God keeps bringing us back to verses about humility and repentance? 神总是带我们回到关于谦卑和悔改的经文？That’s because revival starts in weeping over sin, 因复兴始于为悔改罪而哭，not pride. 而非骄傲。

V.7 says: 第7节说，“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” “故此，你们要顺服　神。务要抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就必离开你们逃跑了。”Submission means saying, 顺服是在说：“God, “主啊，You are the King, 你是王，I’m not in charge.”我不是。” It means laying down our pride, 这意味着放下我们的骄傲、our will, 偏要行、our control, 掌控、our timing, 自己的时间表，submit to His. 顺服神。Then, resist the devil. 然后，抵挡魔鬼。But how can you resist him, 但你怎么能抵挡魔鬼，if you don’t know how he works? 若你认不出他的计谋？So here’s what the Bible say about the devil’s mission: 圣经说魔鬼的任务是：A. The devil lies and deceives. A. 撒谎和欺骗。 Re 启12:9, that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. 大龙就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的。The devil is a Liar and deceiver. 魔鬼是撒谎者，迷惑普天下的。He twists the truth, 他扭曲真理，blinds minds, 蒙蔽人心，and makes sin look appealing. 让罪看起来很吸引。For example, 比如，today many young people are addicted to games. 当今很多年轻人玩游戏上瘾，Some escape into online fantasy worlds because of the pain in their hearts. 有些人因心中有痛就躲进网络的虚幻世界，Instead of dealing with the pain, 他们没有去处理痛苦，they run from real life, 而是逃避现实，and end up being deceived. 结果被欺骗。Others play games that glorify violence, 还有人玩暴力的、killing people or animals. 杀人或杀动物的游戏。But who is the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy？谁在偷窃、杀害和毁坏？ John 约10:10 tells us clearly: 说得很清楚：it’s the devil. 就是魔鬼。Many of these games are filled with darkness, 很多游戏充斥着黑暗、ghosts, 幽灵，or even occult themes, 甚至异端元素，and when you agree with them, 当你去玩这些，you open spiritual doors to demons. 门就打开，邪灵会入侵。I once prayed for an 11-year-old boy 我曾为一个11岁男孩祷告，who had been playing a game with “cute” ghosts. 他玩了"可爱"的鬼怪的游戏。That night, 结果当晚，he woke up screaming, 他在惊恐中醒来，saying ghosts were in his room. 尖叫着说有鬼魂在房间里。The next day, 第二天，I led him through a prayer of confession, 我带他做了认罪、repentance, 悔改、and renouncing the lies. 弃绝谎言的祷告，His parents deleted the games, 他的父母删除了那些游戏，and Jesus restored him, 耶稣释放了他，but the boy suffered from fear and oppression. 但这孩子经历了不必要的恐惧和压制。How many of us play those games 我们中间玩这些游戏的人，without even thinking about where they come from? 可想过它们的源头来自哪里？We need to shut the door to any demonic influence. 当关闭所有邪灵的通道，If something is dark or harmful, 若有什么是黑暗或有害的，cut it off and clean it out. 就当砍断并清理干净。

B. To accuse and condemn. B. 控告定罪。Re 启12:10 calls Satan 称撒旦是 “the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God, day and night. ” 那在我们　神面前昼夜控告我们弟兄的。The enemy constantly whispers shame and guilt: 仇敌不断小声说让我们感到羞愧和负罪的话：“You’re not good enough.” “你不够好。”“Repent? so what? . “悔改？那又怎样？You’ll just sin again.” 你会再犯。”Don’t listen to that voice. 不要听那个声音。Resist it! 抵挡它！“In Jesus’ name, “奉耶稣的名，I reject lies! 我拒绝谎言！ I’m child of God. 我是神的儿女，I’m loved. 我是蒙爱的，I’m learning, 我正在成长，God is training me.” 天父正在训练我。”Speak the truth to yourself and resist it. 当宣告真理并抵挡谎言。

C. The devil tempts and traps. C. 试探、设圈套：In the wilderness, 在旷野，Satan tempted Jesus: 撒但试探耶稣：“If you are the Son of God…” "你若是神的儿子..." He tried to make Jesus doubt His identity. 他想动摇基督的身份认同，He’ll do the same to us. 今天他也同样对我们说：“Prove yourself.” "要证明你自己"、 “Show people you can do it.”  "让人看看你多能"。But every temptation is a trap. 每个试探都是陷阱，Behind the bait is a hook. 诱饵后面是钩子，Behind the hook is Satan. 钩子后面是撒旦。But we resist like Jesus did—但我们当效法基督去抵挡：by standing on the Word of God. 站稳在神的话语上，Abiding in Christ, 住在基督里，we overcome. 就能得胜。

3, Humble and purify our hearts. 自卑并洁净心 (v.8-10)

Resisting it is not enough, 光靠抵挡还不够，we’ve gotta come near to God. 我们还须亲近神。Recently, we’ve been seeking revival, 最近，我们一直在寻求复兴，asking God for a fresh move in our lives, 求神在我们的生命、in churches, 教会、and in our city. 城市中复兴。But revival doesn’t start out there. 但复兴不是从外在开始，It starts in our hearts. 而是从内心开始。V.10 says, 第10节说， Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. 务要在主面前自卑，主就必叫你们升高 (v.10) V8,9 show us how to: 第8-9节告诉我们怎样去做：Wash your hands – 洗净你们的手——Be honest with God. 向神诚实敞开，Let Him cleanse what we’ve done wrong. 让祂洁净我们的过犯。Purify your hearts – 洁净你们的心——Let Him expose hidden motives, 让祂光照隐藏的动机、unbelief, 不信and pain, 和痛，so He can transform us with His truth. 如此祂就能用真理更新我们。Grieve over sin – 为罪忧伤——Let God break us 让神破碎我们，so He can fill us with Himself. 好让祂用自己充满我们。And of course, 当然，read your Bible, 要读经，pray, 祷告，draw near to God, 亲近神，and He will come near to you. 神就必亲近你们。

Recently, 最近，Julie gave me a copy of the OTBC Diamond Jubilee Souvenir (1871–1931). Julie 给了我一本 OTBC 钻石禧年纪念册（1871-1931）。As I read it, 当我去读时，my heart was deeply stirred. 我心好激动，I discovered that over 100 years ago, 原来早在一百多年前，missionaries from OTBC were sent to Bengal, OTBC就已差派宣教士前往孟加拉、India, 印度、Brazil, 巴西and the Solomon Islands. 和所罗门群岛，One even helped translate the New Testament into the Malu language. 甚至有宣教士参与翻译了马鲁语新约圣经。

In 1906, 早在1906 年，believers from OTBC had already begun running an English Class for Chinese people. OTBC 的基督徒就开设了华人英语班。Through this class, 借着英文班，God raised and sent at least four missionaries to other nations. 神兴起并差派了至少四位宣教士到其他国家。One Chinese learner returned to Canton (Guangdong) 其中一位中国学员回到广东，and became a pastor. 成为一名牧师。And now, 现在，many in our Chinese congregation are also from Canton. 我们华人会众中也有许多广东人。What is God doing through all this? 借着这一切神在做什么？There must be a purpose. 里面必定有神的旨意。Cantonese people have a long history of worshipping false gods广东人拜假神的历史很久but God is writing a new story. 但神正在改写故事。Eight years ago, 八年前，God gave me a dream: 神把异梦放在我心中：to share the gospel through English classes. 开办英语班传福音。At the time, 当时，I had no idea what had happened here 100 years earlier. 我并不知道一百年前这里发生过什么。But last year, 但去年，the Free English Classes were launched. 免费英语班启动了。And today, 今天，we’re reaching not only Chinese learners我们的学员中不仅有华人，but people from over 52 nations. 还有来自52个国家的人。God is weaving His redemptive story 神还在编织祂的救恩故事，through history, 借着历史，and through us. 也借着我们。Many of you have already been faithfully leading and serving on Tuesday nights. 尽管我们不少人已参与周二晚的服事和领导，But perhaps you didn’t realise: 但也许还没有意识到：you’ve stepped into a story that began more than a century ago. 你们进入了一个世纪前就已展开的圣工里。And just like those before us, 如同那些走在前面的人，God is preparing you with a missionary mindset神正在预备你们有宣教士的心to sow and to reap. 去撒种和收割。Our mission is the same: 我们同有一个使命：to share the good news with the nations through the English Classes. 借着英语班向万国传福音。

God is still calling: 神仍在呼召：“Whom shall I send? “我可以差遣谁呢？And who will go for us?” 谁肯为我们去呢？” Some of you have already responded有些人已经回应，stepping into the mission field of the English Class, 参与了英语班的宣教禾场，perhaps without even realising it. 可能连自己都没意识到。But today, 但今天，He is calling again. 祂的呼召再次临到。Will you re-commit to His call with renewed faith and determination? 你愿意再次回应祂的呼召，凭信立志跟随耶稣吗？Will you say, 你愿意说：“Here I am, Lord. “主啊，我在这里。I want to be part of Your story in this place. 我愿意在这里融入你的故事中。Shape me, 求你塑造我，mould me, 陶造我，and prepare me for Your Kingdom’s purpose.” 预备我为你的国度而活。”