“仆人不能大于主人。他们若逼迫了我，也要逼迫你们…” – 约 15:20
我们是否生活在“末世”呢？差不多在每一个世代，都有人认为是真的。但有一件事我们可以肯定：在今天提摩太后书3章所描述的问题仍然存在，就如在以往其他历史年代中一样。
人们注意到基督教曾经在“西方世界”享有特权，至少是自从罗马帝王君士坦丁归信基督教时开始的。在公元313年的米兰法令和其他一些事件之后，很多西方世界的法律便植根于圣经的教导，因此很多人的生活都受到圣经的影响。但这并不是说这些人全部、甚至是大部份人都是基督徒。
基督徒在西方很少受到逼迫，但在世界其他地方则不是这样。而耶稣也没有预备衪的跟随者去面对这样的顺境，衪反而叫他们要预备面对逼害。
现今基督教在西方已逐渐式微了，同样，基督教对西方国家的法律和政策的影响也慢慢消失了。随着日子过去，基督徒便会愈来愈多在日常生活中面对逼害。
但我们不应因此惧怕和失去希望，主是信实的，主也是王。衪的国度不属乎这个世界，而我们蒙召去事奉祂，遵循圣经的教导，和以神爱人的方式去生活。
祷告
主啊，面对现今那么多的转变时，求你帮助我们去活出真正的基督徒生命。奉耶稣名求，阿们！
提摩太后书 3章
1你该知道，末世必有危险的日子来到。
2因为那时人要专顾自己，贪爱钱财，自夸，狂傲，谤讟，违背父母，忘恩负义，心不圣洁，
3无亲情，不解怨，好说谗言，不能自约，性情凶暴，不爱良善，
4卖主卖友，任意妄为，自高自大，爱宴乐不爱神，
5有敬虔的外貌却背了敬虔的实意。这等人你要躲开。
6那偷进人家，牢笼无知妇女的，正是这等人。这些妇女担负罪恶，被各样的私欲引诱，
7常常学习，终久不能明白真道。
8从前雅尼和佯庇怎样敌挡摩西，这等人也怎样敌挡真道。他们的心地坏了，在真道上是可废弃的。
9然而他们不能再这样敌挡，因为他们的愚昧必在众人面前显露出来，像那二人一样。
10但你已经服从了我的教训、品行、志向、信心、宽容、爱心、忍耐，
11以及我在安提阿、以哥念、路司得所遭遇的逼迫、苦难。我所忍受是何等的逼迫，但从这一切苦难中，主都把我救出来了。
12不但如此，凡立志在基督耶稣里敬虔度日的，也都要受逼迫。
13只是作恶的和迷惑人的必越久越恶，他欺哄人，也被人欺哄。
14但你所学习的、所确信的，要存在心里，因为你知道是跟谁学的，
15并且知道你是从小明白圣经，这圣经能使你因信基督耶稣有得救的智慧。
16圣经都是神所默示的，于教训、督责、使人归正、教导人学义都是有益的，
17叫属神的人得以完全，预备行各样的善事。
Serving God, No Matter What Happens
“‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…” – John 15:20
Are we living in “the last days”? Some people in nearly every generation think so. Yet there is one thing we can be sure of: the problems described in 2 Timothy 3 are happening today, just as in many other periods of history.
People have noted that Christianity has long had a privileged position in the “Western world,” at least since the time of the Roman emperor Constantine, who converted to Christianity. After the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 and other developments, many of the laws in the Western world became rooted in biblical teaching. As a result, many people have been heavily influenced by the Bible on how to live their lives. This does not mean that all of these people, or even the majority, have been Christians. But Christians in the West have often been free of persecution, and yet that has not been the case in other parts of the world. Nor was this what Jesus prepared his followers to expect. He taught them to expect persecution.
Today Christianity is fading in the West, and so is Christian influence on the laws and policies of Western nations. As time goes on, it may become harder for Christians to live day by day without being persecuted.
But there is no reason to fear or lose hope. The Lord is faithful, and the Lord is King. His kingdom is not of this world, and we are called to serve him, following the teachings of Scripture and living by God’s way of love.
Prayer
Lord, in the face of many changes today, help us to live truly Christian lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
