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Wednesday 2 March 2016

成全法律 FULFILLING THE LAW

成全法律(瑪5:17-19
「破舊立新」是一場革命。但立新不一定要破舊,改革一樣可以立新,可以找到新的出路,不一定要革命。

毫無疑問,耶穌所提出的言論,在當代人的耳中,是相當革命性的。守安息日,休妻,不與罪人來往、行割損禮等等,都是理所當然的事。遵守這些規矩法律,都是得救的途徑。耶穌違反安息日的禁令去治病、反對休妻、與罪人共席,他的門徒後來甚至放寬行割損禮的規定…在當代人看來,當然大逆不道。但以今天的道德標準來看,安息日工作、結集的自由、不行割損禮等,並沒有甚麼大不了,所以耶穌的言論並沒有甚麼大不了。反而在禁止離婚方面,耶穌未免太保守,沒有考慮到女性的權益了。

因此,耶穌根本不需要推翻或廢除法律和先知。隨著時代的推移,法律會日趨完善,先知的預言會陸續應驗。所以耶穌的任務不是推倒重來,反而是來使法律完滿,來應驗先知的預言。

反過來說,容許離婚、墮胎合法化、同性婚姻等,真的對婦女或對同性戀者的權益,提供了保障嗎?不是傷害了他們的身體,麻痺了他們的良心,踐踏了兒童的權益和整個社會的未來嗎?舊約的法律雖然不是完善的,但總有其偉大和對人類文明有建樹之處。耶穌曾警告過,廢除或鼓吹違反這些法律的,容許並立法離婚、墮胎、同性婚姻的人,在天國中是最小的(瑪5:19)。請注意,離婚者、墮胎者、同性戀者和那些立法者,在天國中雖然是最小,但仍在天國之內,並沒有被拒諸門外。天父的慈悲真令人詫異。

天父啊,請把真理之神,賜給呼求祢的人。亞孟。


FULFILLING THE LAW (Matthew 5:17-19)

"Abolishing the old to establish the new" is a revolution. But it is not necessary to abolish the old in order to establish the new. Reform is also a way capable of establishing the new, of breaking new path. Revolution is not necessary.

Doubtless, in the ears of Jesus' contemporaries, his speeches were revolutionary. The Jews had taken for granted the observance of Sabbath, divorce, circumcision and avoiding sinners etc. Observing these precepts was a sure way to salvation. Jesus did not observe the Sabbath to heal the sick. He objected to divorce, dining with sinners and his disciples even did away with circumcision ... in the eyes of holy men, this was blasphemy. But from the moral stance nowadays, it is no big deal to work on Sabbath, to enjoy the freedom of association and not to circumcize. Therefore, Jesus' teachings are not that revolutionary after all. Rather, forbidding divorce, Jesus was too conservative and had not taken women's rights into consideration.

Thus, it was not necessary for Jesus to abolish the laws and the prophets. With the progress of time, the laws would become more nearly perfect and the prophets' prophecies would come true. Therefore, Jesus' mission was not to abolish the laws, but to make them fulfilled, to make the prophecies come true.

On the contrary, do permission of divorce, legalization of abortion and same-sex marriages truly protect the human rights of women and homosexuals? Do these practices not harm their bodies, numb their conscience and trample upon children rights as well as the future of the whole society? Although the OT laws are not perfect, they are still great and contribute to the building up of human civilization. Jesus had warned that people who relax these commandments, permitting and legislating divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage shall be called least in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 5:19). Attention, although people involved in divorce, abortions and same-sex marriages and the legislators are called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, they are still inside and have not been kicked out. God's mercy is truly amazing.
Heavenly Father, give the spirit of truth to those who invoke Your name. Amen.

http://fll.cc/inspire/i-come-to-fulfill-the-law/

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