1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. We are delighted that you have tuned in, today, to listen to this broadcast.
很高兴，你能够收听我们今天的节目。
3. If you are tuning in for the first time, we want you to know that we are in the midst of a series of messages on the fruit of the Spirit,
如果你是第一次收听，请注意，我们正在讲圣灵的果子这个系列信息。
4. and we will continue that today;
今天我们继续讲下去。
5. and I want to begin by telling you something that somebody told me some years ago.
首先让我告诉你，某人在几年前告诉我的一些事情，
6. “Being trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
他说，“被信任是比受爱戴更高的一种恭维。”
7. I want you to ponder this just for a few seconds.
希望你仔细思想一下这句话。
8. This is very important.
这非常重要。
9. It took me a long time to really focus on this statement.
我花了很长一段时间才真正理解这句话。
10. “Being trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
“被信任是比受爱戴更高的一种恭维。”
11. I don’t need to tell you that trustworthiness has become a rare thing.
不用我说你也知道，如今“守信用”已经成为罕见的美德了。
12. There was a time when a man’s word was his bond.
过去我们说，人言为信。
13. There was a time when trustworthiness was more important than wealth, or fame, or popularity.
过去一个人的信用，比财富，名气或者声望更重要。
14. There was a time when a promise was a promise.
过去，一诺千金。
15. “Faithfulness” is such an old-fashioned word that it has been taken out of circulation.
“信实”已经成为落伍的名词，不再出现在常用的词语中了。
16. “Faithfulness” is a word that is fading away from our lexicons.
“信实”这个词渐渐从我们的字典里消失。
17. As I look around, I see that the only commitment that seems to be on the increase is a commitment to political expedience,
环视周围，我发现唯一还在增多的许诺，似乎就是为政治私利而许的诺言。
18. a commitment to personal gain.
使个人获得利益的许诺。
19. The only commitment that seems to be on the increase is a commitment to personal glory,
似乎唯一在增长的，就是为了个人荣耀而做的许诺。
20. a commitment to personal gratification,
能满足个人欲望的许诺。
21. a commitment to making yourself look good;
刻意标榜自己的许诺；
22. and I wonder even if the younger generation knows the meaning of the word “faithfulness”;
我什至怀疑，年轻的一代是否真正明白“信实”这个词的意思；
23. yet, faithfulness is the heart of human existence.
然而，信实是人类生存的核心。
24. Faithfulness is the life blood of all relationships.
信实是维系所有人际关系的生命血液。
25. Faithfulness keeps a family or a society from being disintegrated.
信实维系家庭或社会，使他们不至于解体。
26. Faithfulness is a powerful word.
信实是一个有能力的词。
27. It is an important word.
也是一个非常重要的词语。
28. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Apostle Paul would include faithfulness in the list as part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, Chapter 5.
难怪，使徒保罗在加拉太书第五章，把信实加进圣灵所结一连串的果子里。
29. Let us read verses 22 and 23 again to remind you.
我们再来读一遍第22节和23节，再提醒你一次。
（请读加拉太书第五章22和23节。）
30. In the Greek language, there is only one word for both “faith” and “faithfulness”.
在希腊语，只用一个词来同时代表“信心”和“信实”。
31. That word is sometimes translated as “faith” and, other times, translated as “faithfulness”;
这个词有时被翻译为“信心”，有时被翻译为“信实”；
32. but it is one word in the Greek, and you can translate it either way.
但在希腊语只有一个词，你可以用两种译法。
33. Now, there is a good reason for this.
有个很好的理由，
34. The reason is this:
那就是：
35. faithfulness stems from faith or trust.
信实来自信心或信任。
36. I have faith that, when you make me a promise, you will keep it.
我相信，如果你承诺了，你就会实现它。
37. Why?
为什么？
38. Because you are faith-ful, or full of faith.
因为你是守信的，或者说我对你满有信心。
39. I have faith that, when you make a commitment, you will honor it.
我相信，当你做了承诺，你会尊重它。
40. Why?
为什么？
41. Because you are full of faith.
因为我对你满有信心。
42. I have faith that you mean what you say, and you say what you mean.
我相信，你言行一致。
43. Why?
为什么？
44. Because you are full of faith.
因为我对你满有信心。
45. I want you to imagine what would happen if all of the doctors decided not to operate on the very sick patients,
请你设想一下，如果所有的医生都决定不为病重的人做手术，将会如何？
46. or, what if the people who baked the bread did not open their stores?
或者，面包师都不开店营业将会如何？
47. Or, you go to church and the preacher does not bother showing up;
或者，当你去到教堂，所有的牧师都不出席又会怎样；
48. but, normally, that doesn’t happen.
但是，通常不会发生这些情况。
49. Why?
为什么？
50. Because you have faith that these faithful people are going to be there.
因为你有信心，这些可靠的人会在那里。
51. Do you know what a hitchhiker is?
你知道搭便车是怎么回事吗？
52. He is the person who tries to get a ride somewhere in somebody else’s car.
就是一个人，想搭另外一个人的车，去某个地方。
53. The hitchhiker seems to be saying,
这个搭便车的人似乎在说，
54. “You furnish the gas, the car, attend to the repairs of the upkeep of the car. You supply the insurance and I’ll ride with you;
“你提供汽油、汽车，负责维修，买保险，我就搭你的车；
55. but, if you have an accident, I will sue you for damages.”
但是，如果发生车祸，我会向你索赔损失。”
56. It seems all one-sided, does it not?
好像一边倒，是吗？
57. But have you thought of how many hitchhikers there are in many an organization or institution?
但是你想过，在许多组织或机构里，有多少这种搭便车的人吗？
58. Have you thought about how many hitchhikers there are in the churches?
你想过在教会里有多少这种人吗？
59. Some church members seem to be saying,
一些教会里的会友说，
60. “You go to the meeting.
“你去开会，
61. You serve in the various ministries.
你在很多事工中事奉。
62. You do the paperwork.
你去处理文件。
63. You give generously.
你慷慨奉献。
64. You go to prayer meeting,
你去参加祈祷会，
65. and I’ll just go for the ride;
我只是去搭便车。
66. and, if things don’t suit my fancy, I will complain, criticize and grumble,
如果事情不合我的心意，我会抱怨，批评，发牢骚，
67. and, probably, get out and hitchhike with another group.”
很可能，会离开去搭另外一部车。”
68. We are often like this young man who poured out his heart’s devotion in a letter to his fiancé;
很多时候我们就像这个年轻人，倾注所有的爱写信给他的未婚妻；
69. and he wrote the following:
他写道：
70. he said, “Darling, I would climb the highest mountains for you.
“亲爱的，我愿意为你攀登最高的山峰。
71. Swim the widest streams for you.
为你游过最宽的河流。
72. Cross the burning desert.
横渡炙热的沙漠。
73. Die at the stake for you.
我为你不惜性命。
74. P.S.
附笔，
75. I will see you on Saturday,
周六我想和你见面，
76. if it doesn’t rain.”
如果不下雨的话。”
77. Temporary faithfulness;
这是短暂的信实；
78. conditional faithfulness.
有条件的信实。
79. Listening friends, I want you to understand what I am trying to tell you.
亲爱的朋友，希望你明白我所说的意思。
80. Faithfulness is closely tied in with the truth,
信实和真理紧密地联系在一起，
81. just as unfaithfulness is closely tied in to lying.
就像不信实和谎言紧密地联系在一起一样。
82. That is why truth and faithfulness identify with God Himself.
这就是为什么真理和信实就是神的本性。
83. In any institution,
在任何机构中，
84. or any society,
或者任何社会里，
85. or any home,
或者任何一个家庭，
86. where God is rejected,
如果拒绝神，
87. truth and faithfulness are diminished;
真理和信实就会消失；
88. and they are replaced by unfaithfulness and with expedience and with lying.
取而代之的则是不忠实，自私自利，以及漫天谎言。
89. When God is marginalized, truth and faithfulness are marginalized,
如果神被搁置一旁，真理和信实也就被搁置一旁。
90. and they are replaced by unfaithfulness and lying.
取而代之的就是不忠实和谎言。
91. In a society or a home, people will not trust one another.
这样的社会或者家庭，大家不再彼此信任。
92. In such society or home, people become suspicious of each other.
这样的社会或者家庭，人们彼此怀疑。
93. When trust is broken, society is broken.
当信任破碎了，社会也就破碎了。
94. When faithfulness is missing, all relationships collapse.
当信实失落了，所有的关系都会崩溃。
95. That is why the Bible emphasizes the faithfulness of God.
所以圣经那么强调神的信实。
96. If there is a thing that you can be sure of about God’s faithfulness, it is this:
对于神的信实，你可以确信的就是：
97. God’s faithfulness is not periphery or occasional.
神的信实不是表面或者偶然的。
98. God’s faithfulness is not sporadic or whimsical.
神的信实不是零零星星和反复无常的。
99. God’s faithfulness is not only exercised when it is convenient for God.
神的信实也不是只有在神想起来的时候，祂才实践的。
100. God’s faithfulness is not even dependent on our faithfulness.
神的信实，更不是取决于我们是否信实。
101. Oh, but that is the kind of God we worship;
这就是我们敬拜的神。
102. and, as I told you in the last message, when you hang out with God, you are going to be like Him.
正像我上次节目中告诉你的，当你亲近神，你也就会越来越像祂。
103. God’s faithfulness is His very being.
神的存在就表明了祂的信实。
104. God’s faithfulness is the combination of His power and love.
神的信实就是祂的大能和爱的结合。
105. God’s faithfulness cannot be hindered or stopped.
神的信实无法被遮蔽和阻止。
106. God’s faithfulness cannot be contradicted or reversed;
神的信实也无法被抵挡和颠倒。
107. but God’s faithfulness also goes with God.
神的信实与神是不可分的。
108. When He is rejected, ignored or marginalized, His faithfulness goes with Him.
当神被拒绝，忽视或者排斥时，祂的信实是跟着祂的。
109. The Scripture gives us an example of a nation who rejected, ignored and marginalized God;
圣经以一个拒绝，忽视和排斥神的民族为鉴戒；
110. and, despite many years of warnings, God finally withdrew.
多年来，他们漠视神的警告，最后，神离开他们。
111. Let us read for you Amos, Chapter 8, verses 11 and 12.
让我来读阿摩斯书8章11节和12节给你听。
（请读阿摩斯书8章11-12节。）
112. This searching, searing, burning, feverish hunger for God’s Word developed in Israel after they forsook and forgot God.
这种对神的道火热迫切的渴望和寻求，发生在以色列人抛弃和忘记神之后。
113. It developed after they kept on ignoring God.
发生于他们长期地忽视神之后。
114. For 400 years, God was silent and only broke His throbbing isolation with the voice in the wilderness, preaching the coming of the Messiah.
400年来，神静默无声，后来只是用旷野中的声音，宣告弥赛亚的来临打破了隔绝。
115. The Messiah Who replaced Israel as a nation is the Lord Jesus Christ.
使以色列能够重建故国的弥赛亚，就是主耶稣基督。
116. When God called Abraham, back in Genesis 12, He called him for one purpose.
创世纪12章，当神呼召亚伯拉罕时，神选召他只有一个目的。
117. God said, “Abraham, in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
神说，“亚伯拉罕，地上的万族都要因你得福。”
118. In Genesis 12:1 to 3,
在创世纪12章1到3节，
119. here is what God is saying to Abraham.
神和亚伯拉罕说。
120. “Abraham, I want somebody to tell the world about Me.
“亚伯拉罕，我要选一个人来告诉世界我是谁。
121. I want somebody to tell the pagans about Me...”
我要人去告诉异教徒我是谁……”
122. and God chose Abraham and his descendants for one purpose and one purpose only;
神选召亚伯拉罕和他的后代只有一个原因；
123. and that was to carry the commission of making Yahweh known;
他们的使命就是，让世人认识耶和华。
124. but, instead, what did they do?
但相反地，他们做了什么？
125. They began to care about themselves.
他们只关注自己。
126. They began to care about their own needs.
他们只关心自己的需要。
127. They began to worry about their own circumstances,
他们担心自己的处境。
128. and they were hoarding God.
他们把神收藏起来。
129. Not only would they not share Him, they would not even worship Him;
不只不让世人认识神，什至他们自己也不敬拜神了。
130. and, one day, God said, “Enough is enough...”
有一天，神说，“我忍够了……”
131. and, through the Lord Jesus Christ, God took the commission out of Israel, and gave His commission to Jesus;
通过主耶稣基督，神将这个使命从以色列人手中收回，给了耶稣；
132. and Jesus gave it to the church,
耶稣又给了教会，
133. which is the new Israel of God, according to Galatians, Chapter 6,
按照加拉太书第6章所说，教会就是神的新以色列民，
134. and God said to the church, “Now, you make Me known.”
神对教会说，“现在，你去让世人认识我。”
135. Now, listen to the rest of the story,
请听故事的后半段。
136. because, throughout history, when the church failed to obey God, God took that commission away from them.
因为在历史中，当教会不遵守神的命令，神也会将这个使命收回。
137. God is not a respecter of persons.
神不会偏袒人。
138. God can and will take His commission from us, also, if we prove unfaithful.
如果我们不信实，神也一定会将这个使命从我们中间收回。
139. You may say to me, “Oh, that doesn’t happen in the New Testament.”
你可能会对我说，“噢，这不会发生在新约时代的。”
140. Oh, yes.
会的，
141. Listen to Revelation, Chapter 3, beginning at verse 14.
请听启示录，从第三章14节开始。
（请读启示录三章14-22节。）
142. I want you to remember this passage, because I am going to come back to it again in the next broadcast;
我希望你记住这段经文，因为我将在下次节目里再讨论；
143. but I’ll take you back to the first century, where there was a church, just like modern church.
不过我要将你带回第一世纪，那里有一个教会，就像现代教会一样。
144. As I study the Scripture, probably there is no church as close to the modern church as the church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelation.
我在读经的时候想到，很可能没有教会比启示录里的老底嘉教会更像我们现在的教会了。
145. It is like many churches around the world;
它和现在世界各地很多的教会一样。
146. but we have run out of time on this broadcast.
但是今天节目的时间快到了。
147. Next time, I want to describe to you the church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelation.
下次，我要给你讲讲启示录里老底嘉教会的情况。
148. Will you promise to tune in again?
你能答应我一定来收听吗？
149. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
下次节目再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。
