What is faith?

什麼是信仰／信心？

Hebrews 11:1-6

希伯來書 11:1-6

What is faith?

什麼是信仰／信心？

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。 2 古人在這信上得了美好的證據。 3 我們因著信，就知道諸世界是藉神話造成的；這樣，所看見的並不是從顯然之物造出來的。4 亞伯因著信獻祭於神，比該隱所獻的更美，因此便得了稱義的見證，就是神指他禮物作的見證。他雖然死了，卻因這信仍舊說話。 5 以諾因著信被接去，不至於見死，人也找不著他，因為神已經把他接去了；只是他被接去以先，已經得了神喜悅他的明證。 6 人非有信就不能得神的喜悅，因為到神面前來的人必須信有神，且信他賞賜那尋求他的人。

Introduction

介紹

A.     Personal story about ancestry worship while growing up in NYC

在紐約成長期間有關祭拜祖先的個人故事

B.     This was my introduction to spirituality

這是我對屬靈認識的入門

C.    How is that spiritual experience different from faith as a Christian?

那樣的屬靈經歷跟基督徒的信仰有什麼不同？

D.    We will study Hebrews 11:1-6

我們來看希伯來書11：1-6

Sermon

證道

A.     Common eastern understandings of faith

一般東方的信仰理念

1.     Spiritual rituals to ensure a better life on earth

屬靈的儀式來確保在地上更好的生活

a.     Like ancestry worship

譬如祭拜祖先

b.     Common in Christianity too, going to church on Easter and Christmas

在基督教中也很常見，譬如在復活節和聖誕節的時候去教堂

                        c.        It doesn’t really effect your life, how you live, or what you do

它並沒有真正影響你的生命，生活方式或所做的事情

2.     Spiritual exercises and purifying meditation

靈性的操練和淨化冥想

a.     Falun Gong

法輪功

b.     Blend of Taoism, Buddhism, qigong

道教，佛教，氣功的融合

c.     No personal God

沒有一位個人的神

B.     Faith in Hebrews 11:1-6

希伯來書11：1-6裡的信心

1.     The passage describes faith, and gives examples of faithful people from the Old Testament.

這段經文描述了信心，並舉出舊約中有信心的人的例子

2.     Faith Described in Hebrews 11:1

希伯來書11：6中描述的信心

a.     Confidence in an unseen world

對一個看不見世界的把握

• Different than the western worldview that is materially centered

與以物質為中心的西方世界觀不同

• More like the eastern worldview of a spiritual reality

比較像東方世界觀裡的靈性世界

b.     Hope in that unseen world

盼望那看不見的世界

• Different than the ritual view of faith and religion, just does religious activity, but doesn’t effect how you live on earth much

不同於儀式性的信仰和宗教，只是參與宗教活動，卻不影響你在地上的生活

3.     Faith Described in Hebrews 11:6

希伯來書11：6中描述的信心

a.     The existence of a personal God

存在著一位個人的神

• This is where the eastern understanding is different from the Christian understanding

這是東方理念與基督教信仰不同的地方

• The existence of a personal God

存在著一位個人的神

b.     The understanding that we need to follow/seek God

我們跟隨神／尋求神所需要的認識

· A desire to know, seek and follow this personal God

渴望認識，尋求和跟隨這位個人的神

Conclusion

結論

• Story of how many in my family became Christians

我家裡有多少人成為基督徒的故事

• How my mother became a Christian

我的母親如何成為一名基督徒