末世系列（二）何必曰利？ Why Talk About Benefits?

末世系列（二）何必曰利？（路21:12-19）

在當今惟利是圖的商業社會和國家，找代罪羔羊、彼此出賣、結黨謀私、排擠異己，甚至謀殺，已經是意料中事。即使你沒有投入這「權力遊戲」的意向，你亦不能置身事外；你甚至成為了「造皇者」，成為兩大鬥爭派系須要爭取支持的極少數派。之後，又變成用完即棄的「棄子」！雖然聽來殘酷，但這是當今世代的現實寫照！耶穌基督所說的「這一切事之前」（路21:12a），即世界末日之前要發生的事，不就是當今世代正在發生的事嗎？所不同者，是被出賣的原因。是因為政權的鬥爭，還是宗教迫害，甚至是借國家安全的理由謀私！

當今世代，沒有人覺得【聖經】可信，沒有個人或團體覺得【聖經】有參考價值。因此自稱信奉一本沒有利用價值的【聖經】的信徒，對社會便沒有影響力，可以不理！這樣，還有社會國家找基督徒作「代罪羔羊」嗎？還有人會出賣基督徒來獲取榮華富貴嗎？各位基督徒，當沒有人迫害你們的時候，你們應該慶幸，還是應該悲哀呢？

至於我和我的家族（蘇24:15），我樂意為愛耶穌基督的名字被拘捕、迫害、解送到會堂、並囚在獄中和押送到君王及總督之前（路21:12），因為耶穌基督會給我憑十年寒窗苦讀也磨練不到的「口才和明智，是我的一切仇敵所不能抵抗及辨駁的」（21:15）。即使我被出賣、被殺死、受眾人的憎恨又有何難受呢？即使是投火被焚（格前13:3），連最後一根頭髮也化為灰燼，又有何懼？慈悲的主耶穌基督一定有本領從少許的DNA，與我所能保存的靈魂（路21:19） 結合，把我重塑回來，並且提昇到另一個光榮的層次！

主啊！請寬恕那些殺害我們的人罷，因為他們為了自保，為了害怕【聖經】的威力，天主聖言的生命力，做出連自己也不知道是甚麼（23:34）的惡行。亞孟！

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Eschatology II: Why Talk About Benefits? (Luke 21:12-19)

Nowadays in commercial societies and countries where only benefits count, you can only expect scapegoating, backstabbing each other, forming rings, cornering rivals and even murders. Though you have no intention to take part in those power games, you are forced to. You may even become the king-maker minority whose support is much sought after by two rivalling parties. In the end, you become a dispensable chess piece! Though it sounds cruel and pessimistic, it is an authentic portray of the modern world! When Jesus Christ says, “Before all this happens” (Luke 21:12a), that is things to happen before the end of the world, are they not happening nowadays? The difference is the reason of betrayals. Are the betrayals political conflicts, or religious persecutions or even using national security as an excuse to fatten oneself?

Nowadays, nobody found the Bible credible and no individual or community found the Bible relevant. Believers in a Bible of no utility had no social impact and were negligible! Then would any country scapegoat Christians? Would people betray Christians in order to get promoted? Dear Christians, when nobody persecutes you, should you be relieved or sorrowful?

As for me and my household (Joshua 24:15), I am honoured to be seized, persecuted, handed over to the synagogues and to prisons, and led before kings and governors because of Jesus’ name (Luke 21:12). It is because Jesus Christ would give me a wisdom of speaking, which I won’t be able to attain even after spending decades of theology studies, that all my adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute (21:15). Even if I were betrayed, killed or hated by all, it would be no big deal. Even if I handed my body over to be burnt (1 Corinthians 13:3), and my last strain of hair turned to ashes, of what would I be afraid? The merciful Lord will, with a grain of my DNA, combined with the soul I have secured with perseverance (Luke 21:19), reconstruct another me and raises me to another glorious level!

Lord! Forgive those who murder us because they want to save their skins and are afraid of the power of the Bible, the vitality of the Word of God and know not what evil they are doing (23:34). Amen! 生命恩泉：
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