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Stephen: Godliness in Suffering
Because Stephen was so consistently Spirit-filled, it was natural for him to react in a godly way to persecution and death.
因为司提反持续地被圣灵充满,面对逼迫和死亡,敬虔成了他自然的反应。
The cliché “Garbage in, garbage out” provides a good clue to the essence of the Spirit-filled Christian life. Just as computers respond according to their programming, we respond to what fills our m
inds. If we allow the Holy Spirit to program our thought patterns, we’ll be controlled and renewed by Him and live godly lives. And that’s exactly how Stephen consistently and daily lived his life.
“垃圾进,垃圾出”这句谚语,为基督徒生命圣灵充满的实质提供了良好的线索。正如计算机按照他们的程序作出响应,我们也按照我们的心思意念作出回应。如果我们容许圣灵编排我们的思维模式,我们就由祂掌控更新,并活出敬虔的生命。这正是司提反的生活方式,始终如一地、天天这样过生活。
The expression “being full” is from a Greek verb (pleroo) that literally means “being kept full.” Stephen was continuously filled with the Holy Spirit during his entire Christian life. This previewed Paul’s directive in Ephesians 5:18, “but be filled with the Spirit.” These words don’t mean believers are to have some strange mystical experience, but simply that their lives ought to be fully controlled by God’s Spirit.
“充满”一词来自一个希腊动词(pleroo),其字面意思是“保持充满”。司提反在他整个基督徒生涯,持续不断地被圣灵充满。这预演了保罗在以弗所书5:18中的指示:“乃要被圣灵充满。”这些话不是指信徒要有一些奇特神秘的经历,而是说他们的生命应该完全被神的灵掌管。
Stephen gave evidence of his Spirit-filled godliness as He was about to die from stoning. Acts 7:55-56 says he looked to Jesus and let his adversaries and any witnesses know that he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. Stephen did not focus on his difficult situation but fixed his heart on the Lord, which is what all believers must do: “Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2).
当司提反即将被石头打死时,他显出了其圣灵充满之敬虔的证据。使徒行传7:55-56 说他举目看着耶稣,并让他的敌人和见证人知道,他看见耶稣站在神的右边。司提反不是将眼目定睛在他的困境上,而是将他的心全神贯注在主身上,这也是每一位信徒必须做的:“当求在上面的事;那里有基督坐在神的右边。你们要思念上面的事,不要思念地上的事”(歌罗西书3:1-2)。
Stephen’s spiritual sight was incredible and enabled him to see the risen Christ and be certain of his welcome into Heaven the moment he died. We won’t have that kind of vision while we’re still on earth, but if we are constantly Spirit-filled like Stephen, we will always see Jesus by faith and realize His complete presence during the most trying times (John 14:26-27; Heb. 13:5-6).
司提反灵里的视野难以置信,让他看见了复活的基督,并在他死的那一刻确信自己被接入天堂。虽然我们仍在地上时,不会拥有这种眼光,但如果我们像司提反那样,始终如一被圣灵充满,我们必将凭信心看见耶稣,并在最艰难的时期得以认识祂的完全同在。(约14:26-27;来13:5-6)。
Pray that God would direct your mind away from mundane distractions and toward Him throughout this day.
祷告求神引导你的心思远离世俗的搅扰,并在今天全然归向祂。
Stephen established a magnificent pattern during his short ministry in Acts 6. Read that chapter, and jot down several positive things you see about how he did things.
在使徒行传6,司提反在他短暂的事奉生涯里,建立了一个丰盛的生活方式。阅读此章,记下你看到的关于他几件积极之事。
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