默想又一段關於行善的經文

默想賴特博士翻譯的提多書3章這段話，保羅吩咐提多要如此教導教會眾人，請你自己對照和合本：

1 Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. 2 They are not to speak evil of anyone, nor to be quarrelsome, but to be kindly. They must be completely gentle with everyone.

什麼是every good work？當然包括了接待難民、照顧社會中低收入、甚至無移民證件的人、環境保護等等！還有不要傳關於穆斯林鄰舍的壞話，對待不同族裔和階級的人要溫和！初代的基督徒需要行善以消除社會對他們的懷疑誤解，當今有心宣教使命的基督徒何曾不是如此？

3 We ourselves, you see, used at one time to be foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved to various kinds of passions and pleasures. We spent our time in wickedness and jealousy. We were despicable in ourselves, and we hated each other. 4 But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not by works that we did in righteousness, but in accordance with his own mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewal of the holy spirit, 6 which was poured out richly upon us through Jesus, our king and savior, 7 so that we might be justified by his grace and be made his heirs, in accordance with the hope of the life of the age to come. 8 The saying is sure.

這個譯本很清楚：神已照他的憐憫救了我們（過去時態），聖靈已經藉著耶穌厚厚澆灌在我們身上（過去時態），目的是讓我們因神的恩典得稱為義（即被接納為神的兒女）。這裡的life of the age to come是比較準確的直譯，中文大多翻為“永生”，但實際上恐怕是指耶穌降臨帶來的新世代。這新世代有個盼望，就是神恩浩瀚，接納萬民作自己的兒女！保羅強調說，這話是可信的。

我們傳統上把這段話理解為：“永生的盼望”就是成為神的兒女，似乎保羅在談論未來死後進天堂的盼望。但成為神的兒女並不是將來，乃是現在，細想難免讓人困惑。而且，這樣理解的盼望和前后後文提到的聖靈澆灌和留心行善好像無關！

I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their faith in God may take care to be energetic in good works. Such things are good and profitable for people. 9 But stay well clear of foolish disputes, genealogies, quarrels, and squabbles about the law; they serve no purpose and are worthless. 10 If someone is causing divisions, give them a first warning, then a second, and then avoid them. 11 You know that a person like that is twisted, sinful, and self-condemned.

我喜歡這個翻譯，把定意決心要（去行善）那個動詞boulomai翻成take care to be energetic，就是很積極熱情要去做的意思，後面跟著說，因為這都是美好且對人有益。按這段經文，信徒行善不是某種“傳福音的預工”，而是基督新世代的盼望和目的。我們那些沒有用的神學辯論紛爭可以放下來了。

保羅說對堅持分門結黨的人，警戒一、兩次就要拒絶來往呢！因為他們明明知道那是不對的。真的嗎？不仔細看這段經文，基督徒豈不總是自以為是？当然，self-condemned 未必要理解為“明明知道”。

思考題：賴特教授說 ‘the Gospel is meant to re-humanize us to make us better people’. 這與作好公民、好鄰居是什麼關係？你在教會、社區、個人生活中有哪些實際例子？

我認為杜絶極端、不隨伙散佈關於其它族裔文化的惡意傳言、去煽動針對穆斯林的恐懼，倒要時時注重眼見為實、尋找官方正式數據以更正視聽，是在教會、社區、個人生活中打擊邪惡的重要善行。當人散佈紛爭與作惡時，就失去一些神的形象，品質變劣。跟從基督的福音使人有重新得到塑造的機會，所以保羅鼓勵信徒行善彰顯神的形象。