21.3.2020

疫情中的反思与勉励

之前,我的儿子问我,Coronavirus是神造的吗?我就向他解释,是的,那的确是神的咒诅,因为亚当夏娃犯罪了。今天,我和我的儿子读圣经,读诺亚方舟的事件,也让他知道毁灭世界的洪水的确是神赐下的。或许有人会觉得,孩子那么小,教导他有关神的审判,不好的事也是从神而来,并不是很恰当。然而,海德堡教理问答的作者却不是如此认为。认识一切,无论是好的还是不好的,都是从神而来,对我们其实是有益处的。

海德堡教理问答Heidelberg Catechism(中文是王志勇牧师的翻译):

二十七问:你所了解的上帝的护理是什么?

回答:上帝用无所不能,无所不在的能力(1),犹如用他的手一样,托住天地万物(2),并且管理它们,以致一草一木,天晴下雨,丰年荒年,饮食起居,健康疾病,富足贫穷(3),一切都非偶然发生(4),而是出于上帝之手(5)。

Q & A 27

Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?

A. The almighty and ever present power of God1 by which God upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures,2 and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty—3 all things, in fact, come to us not by chance4 but by his fatherly hand.5

1Jer. 23:23-24; 徒Acts 17:24-28
2Heb. 1:3
3Jer. 5:24; 徒Acts 14:15-17; John 9:3; 箴Prov. 22:2
4Prov. 16:33
5Matt. 10:29

二十八问:我们知道上帝创造万有,并一直藉着护理之工维系万物,有什么益处呢?

回答:我们可以在患难中忍耐(1),在顺境中感恩(2);对于将来临到我们的一切,能坚定地信靠信实的天父上帝,任何受造物都不能使我们与他的爱隔绝(3)。因为万物都在他的手中,他若不许,它们动也不能动(4)。

Q & A 28

Q. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?

A. We can be patient when things go against us,1 thankful when things go well,2 and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing in creation will separate us from his love.3 For all creatures are so completely in God’s hand that without his will
they can neither move nor be moved.4

1Job 1:21-22; 雅James 1:3
2Deut. 8:10; 贴前1 Thess. 5:18
3Ps. 55:22; 罗Rom. 5:3-5; 8:38-39
4Job 1:12; 2:6; 箴Prov. 21:1; 徒Acts 17:24-28

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