We should dedicate ourselves to God. This is pleasing to Him (Romans 12:1). We no longer live, but Christ lives and reigns in us (Romans 14:8, Galatians 2:20). Rather than depend on our own understanding, which leads to destruction, we should follow God’s lead, and He will renew our minds (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:2).
All our actions should be channeled through sobriety (temperance, chastity, discipline), righteousness (equity to all), and godliness (connecting us with God); and be zealous in doing good works (Titus 2:11-14). Know that we are pilgrims in this world. Focus on our heavenly inheritance, which is based on what Christ has done for us. We should not long excessively for wealth, power, human favor, and honor. God curses those too eager for riches and honor. They may have them but without true happiness. Remove pride and ostentation and other things caused by self-love (Matthew 16:24). Never use fraud to get fortunes. Never think of prosperity apart from God’s blessing. Attribute your success entirely to God, never to yourself. Everything we have are gifts from God. Intellect or labor are worthless unless the Lord prospers them. We are merely stewards of God’s gifts, so use them to serve the church and our neighbors (1 Corinthians 4:7, 12:12). Honor and love everyone, including strangers, evil people, and our enemies, because we are all made in the image of God (1 Corinthians 13:4, Galatians 6:10, Isaiah 58:7). Remove self-love. Sincerely promote your neighbors’ advantages (Romans 12:10, Philippians 2:3). Seek the good of your neighbors (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Have humble opinion of yourself and respect others, including their gifts from God. Perform such duties in love, cheerfully and with compassion in their misfortune. Trust God over your strength, others’ favor, and fortunes. Accept the lot God provided, even when catastrophes—like pandemic, war, fire, and famine—happen to you. Contemplate the mercy and love of God. Always bless God and trust Him (Psalm 79:13). Have a calm, contented, and grateful mind because we are assured that whatever happens to us is ordered by the Lord and is most conducive to our salvation (Psalm 131:1-2). God is the ruler and arbiter of fortune. A summary of a sermon by John Calvin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVqSv3oTSkw 我们不属于自己 我们应该将自己献给上帝,这是上帝所喜悦的(罗马书 12:1)。现在活着的不再是我们,而是基督在我们里面活着,并且执掌王权(罗马书 14:8,加拉太书 2:20)。 与其依赖, 具有破坏性的, 自己的理解,我们应该跟随上帝的带领. 祂会不断更新我们的心意(罗马书 12:2,以弗所书 4:2)。 让我们所有的行为都以清醒(节制、贞洁、纪律)、公义(人人平等)和敬虔(将我们与上帝联系起来)为引导, 并要热心行善(提多书 2:11-14)。 知道信徒在世上是天路客。在基督里,我们有属天的产业, 应当专注于它。 不应该对财富、权力、人的喜爱和个人荣誉过分地渴望。 上帝诅咒那些过于渴望财富和荣誉的人。 人可能拥有这些,却没有真正的快乐。 除去骄傲、虚荣和其它的自爱(马太福音 16:24)。 切勿使用欺诈手段获取财富。 永远不要想得到没有上帝祝福的繁荣。 当将成功完全归功于上帝, 永远不要归功于自己。人所拥有的一切都是来自上帝的礼物。除非主使之繁荣,否则智力或劳力都毫无价值。 信徒只是上帝百般恩赐的管家, 所以要用它们来服事教会和自己的邻舍(哥林多前书 4:7, 12:12)。 每个人都是按照上帝的形象被造的, 应当恭敬和爱所有人,包括陌生人、邪恶的人和我们的敌人(哥林多前书 13:4,加拉太书 6:10,以赛亚书 58:7)。 不要自爱。 真诚地为邻舍的好处着想(罗马书 12:10,腓立比书 2:3),寻求他们的好处(哥林多前书 13:4-7)。 谦虚地看待自己,尊重他人以及他们从上帝那里得到的恩赐。 当怀着爱心, 喜乐地如此而行,并对他们的不幸表达同情。 信靠上帝胜过信靠你自己的力量、别人的喜爱和手中的财富。即使灾难(如全球大流行病、战争、火灾和饥荒)发生在身上, 也当接受上帝给你的一切。 默想上帝的怜悯和慈爱。 永远赞美上帝并信靠祂(诗篇 79:13)。 拥有一颗平静、知足和感恩的心,因为我们确信凡临到我们的事情,都是主安排的,最有利于我们的拯救(诗篇 131:1-2)。 上帝掌管和仲裁所有人的丰盛。
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Christ taught us the two biggest commandments are to love God and our neighbors. (Matthew 22:36-40). If so, why should we care about our environment or animals?
One reason is because God loves them. After God had created the universe, He considered the creation very good (Genesis 1:31). Moreover, He loved them. In the famous verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,” the word world in the original Hebrew means the cosmos, which include our world, our environment. If our boss loves something and considers it very good, shouldn’t we care for it also? Another reason we should care for our environment is because that was the original job God assigned humans to do. When God created man in His image, God commanded him to rule over the creatures (Genesis 1:26). The word rule in the original Hebrew means being a viceroy, or a person representing the king when the king is away. So, on behalf of God, humans should take care of the creatures on earth, which God also had expressed His concern for (Jonah 4:11). Furthermore, God’s creation is full of wonders. There are numerous passages in the Bible admiring them. One example is the six verses in Psalms19, where David was in awe of God’s physical creation, including the heavens, the skies, and the sun. If we truly marvel our environment as the incredible work of the Creator, naturally we will take care of it. In conclusion, we live in a world created and cherished by God, who has entrusted it to humans. Learn to meditate on, cherish, and take care of the environment. Summarized from a John Ortberg sermon: https://menlo.church/series/thats-a-great-question#/modal/message/4988/mlo 为什么要照顾自然环境? 主耶稣教导最大的两条诫命是爱上帝和爱邻舍 (马太福音22:36-40)。如果是这样,为什么还要关心自然环境或动物呢? 原因之一是上帝对它们的爱。上帝创造宇宙之后,认为这被造万物都很好 (创世记1:31)。 不仅如此,上帝还爱它们。在著名的约翰福音3:16中“上帝爱世人…”,“世人”一词在其原文意为宇宙, 其中包括人所在的世界和所处的环境。 如果上司认为某件事非常好并且喜欢它,下属关心这件事也应该是明智的。 保护环境的另一个原因是这乃为人原本的职责。当上帝按照自己的形象造人时,就命令人管理所有动物 (创世记1:26)。管理一词原文的意思是总督,就是国王不在时代表国王的人。换句话说,人类应该代表上帝照顾地上的动物。 祂也在圣经里表达过对动物的关心 (约拿书4:11)。 除此以外,上帝的创造充满了奇妙, 圣经中有许多段落赞美它。 诗篇19章前六节经文中,诗人大卫敬畏上帝的创造,包括天空,穹蒼和太阳。如果真的惊叹世界是造物主不可思议的杰作,自然就会照顾它。 总而言之,我们生活在一个上帝创造和爱惜的世界中。 上帝把它托付给我们,应当学会默想,珍惜并照顾我们生活的环境。 |
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