|
研究上帝所讲的自尊
自尊是全人类的本性，成年人和孩子都有自尊。但是你可能会惊讶地发现，在英文KJV版圣经中有49处提到自尊（pride），都是表明自尊决对不是好的，而且圣经总是把自尊归在败坏的一类。纵观旧约和新约，有多处经文被译为“自尊”，但无论哪种译文，自尊都是与败坏同列，上帝视人类的“自尊（心）”为：自豪，得意，自满，自夸，自大，骄傲，傲慢，自我。
中文圣经没有将“pride”翻译为自尊，那么现在让我们看看字典对自尊的解释：自尊，亦称“自尊心”、“自尊感”，是个人基于自我评价产生和形成的一种自重、自爱、自我尊重，并且要求受到他人、集体和社会尊重、认同的情感体验。自尊有强弱之分，过强则成虚荣心，过弱则变成自卑。
简单地说，现代人的自尊是指维护自我的防线。无论如何，人类在上帝面前毫无自尊可言，应该完完全全谦卑降服于上帝，这才会蒙上帝的悦纳。
在新约里，主耶稣列举自尊是一个能污秽人的罪：“因为从里面，就是从人心里发出恶念、苟合、偷盗、凶杀、奸淫、贪婪、邪恶、诡诈、淫荡、嫉妒、谤讟、骄傲、狂妄，这一切的恶都是从里面出来，且能污秽人”（马可福音7:21-23）。注意，在同一列表中，是把自尊与凶杀、偷盗、谤讟归为同等。
下面我们将着重研究圣经中直接提及自尊的经文，并且基于这些经文来回答相应问题。为了使我们清楚明了，我们将全部参照A Literal Translation of the Holy Bible（Copyright © 1976 – 2000 by Jay P. Green, Sr.）版本圣经，除非另作注明。
在众多关于自尊的英文经文中，第一处提及自尊的是利未记26:19。这节是上帝警告以色列人的一部分，上帝警告他们如果悖逆上帝，祂会怎样做。在18-19节，上帝说：“你们因这些事若还不听从我，我就要为你们的罪加七倍惩罚你们。我必断绝你们因势力而有的骄傲，又要使覆你们的天如铁、载你们的地如铜。”（26:18-19）上帝在这里所讲的是，祂知道以色列人不听从祂是因为他们充满着傲慢的罪，所以祂要击碎他们的自尊，使覆他们的天如铁、载他们的地如铜，意思就是上帝使天无雨、地干旱。这样就会干死他们的农作物，导致饥荒。而饥荒会让众多以色列人挨饿，甚至会饿死。
你认为，上帝是不是将自尊视为一个严重的问题呢？
箴言是智慧之书，书上所写的能够帮助我们，尤其是年轻人，懂得对与错，让我们懂得怎样免遭悲惨、获得幸福人生。
箴言8:13说：“敬畏耶和华，在乎恨恶邪恶，那骄傲、狂妄、并恶道、以及乖谬的口，都为我所恨恶。”
本节中是把智慧比作一个人，是他在讲话。在13节智慧说，敬畏耶和华在乎恨恶邪恶。毫无保留地向上帝献上崇高敬畏，这是好的。而因为敬畏上帝，所以恨恶邪恶，因此这样做也是好的。在此节的下半节里，智慧也列出了他所恨恶的其他事项。
智慧说“我恨恶”的第一件事是什么呢？
你怎么看待狂妄、恶道和乖谬的口？这里是暗示这些行为都出于自尊。这节希伯来语译为“自尊”，意思是你在行为上表现出，你认为自己比别人好。“狂妄”在这节通常翻译为自尊，在其他章节里的含义为浮夸的，所以无谦卑。“恶道”在这节里的意思是败坏的路，也是通向错误的路。“乖谬的口”，希伯来语的意思是习惯性地讲那些与对的和仁慈相反的话，所以会造成敌对和事端。你认为这些事情是否都与自尊紧密相关呢？如何相关的呢？
下一句讲自尊的箴言是箴言11:2：“骄傲来，羞耻也来，谦逊人却有智慧。”充满自尊心会导致你羞耻吗？自尊会使你怎样呢？这节中，希伯来语“羞耻”一词是带有自尊被公然暴露的意思，并且因为自尊导致自己不光彩地被公众当作糊涂和愚妄的人。
让我们看看箴言13:10：“骄傲只启争竞，听劝言的却有智慧。”
自尊会衍生出什么呢？你认为自尊应该出现在一个彼此相爱的基督徒家庭吗？我们怎样才是有智慧呢？当某人设法劝告一个充满着自尊心的人时，你认为会有什么后果发生呢？
在箴言14:3我们读到：“愚妄人口中骄傲，如杖责打己身；智慧人的嘴，必保守自己。”这节表明了，愚妄人口所讲的和智慧人嘴所出的有什么不同。愚妄人是以他的口为仗，用话语来击打人，那么你认为会有人因此而喜欢他吗？你认为被话语击打的人有可能会设法报复这个愚妄人吗？当然，报复是不对的，但是有的人却无论如何都会这么做。纵观历史，自尊致使人们对有权势的人，例如君王，讲出不明智的话，所以受到痛苦的惩罚，甚至被处死。而智慧人在箴言书中的景象，是用他的嘴唇保守自己。你认为这里所讲的是什么意思？暗示：英语有句俗话“用纽扣扣紧你的嘴”，意思是关闭你的嘴，使你不能讲话。如果我们不讲话，那么就不会因为讲不该讲的话而招致祸端。
箴言16:18讲得非常清楚：骄傲在败坏以先，狂心在跌倒之前。这节是两次重申同一件事：骄傲和狂心是同类，败坏和跌倒也是同类。
一个充满自尊和自傲的灵能有好的结果吗？为何所有人都想被自尊和自傲的灵所充满呢？
箴言29:23说：“人的高傲必使他卑下，心里谦逊的必得尊荣。”
这节怎么说有的人会卑下呢？那怎样才能得尊荣呢？你认为自傲和谦卑的不同点是什么？
重复新约里，主耶稣列出自尊是一个能污秽人的罪：“因为从里面，就是从人心里发出恶念、苟合、偷盗、凶杀、奸淫、贪婪、邪恶、诡诈、淫荡、嫉妒、谤讟、骄傲、狂妄，这一切的恶都是从里面出来，且能污秽人”（马可福音7:21-23）。注意，在同一列表中是把自尊与凶杀、偷盗、谤讟归为同等。你认为主耶稣是否是把自尊视为一个严重的罪？
约翰在约翰一书2:15-17里说：“不要爱世界和世界上的事。人若爱世界，爱父的心就不在他里面了。因为凡世界上的事，就像肉体的情欲、眼目的情欲、并今生的骄傲，都不是从父来的，乃是从世界来的。这世界和其上的情欲都要过去，惟独遵行 神旨意的是永远常存。”自尊是出于上帝，还是来自世界呢？人的自尊岂能在上帝面前站立得住呢？你认为对那些仍旧充满自尊的人来说，这又意味着什么呢？
现在注意马太福音23:12：“凡自高的必降为卑，自卑的必升为高”。如果你抬高自己，另一种说法是如果你充满自尊，那么你会怎样？如果你谦卑，就是与自尊相反，那么你又会如何？
注意雅各和彼得强调了同一主题：务要在主面前自卑，主就必叫你们升高（雅各4:10）；你们年幼的，也要顺服年长的。就是你们众人，也都要以谦卑束腰、彼此顺服。因为 神阻挡骄傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。所以你们要自卑，服在 神大能的手下，到了时候祂必叫你们升高（彼得前书5:5-6）
你怎样才能被高举？由谁来高举你？谁才能蒙上帝赐恩？（也要注意“我们要彼此顺服”的意思，就是我们应当谦卑对待彼此，尤其年幼的要谦卑顺服年长的）
“你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门。因为凡祈求的，就得着；寻找的，就寻见；叩门的，就给他开门。你们中间，谁有儿子求饼，反给他石头呢？求鱼，反给他蛇呢？你们虽然不好，尚且知道拿好东西给儿女，何况你们在天上的父，岂不更把好东西给求祂的人么？”（马太福音7:7-11）
你认为上帝会除去自尊，将谦卑赐给凡求告祂的人吗？当然，上帝会这样做。我们与上帝的关系充满着爱和恩典，上帝要我们根除自尊，因为自尊不仅会伤害我们，还阻碍我们成为上帝所期望的儿女。我们要蒙上帝悦纳，因为祂在耶稣基督里已将所有祝福都赐给了我们。
A Study on What GOD Says About PRIDE
All human beings naturally have pride. Both adults and children have pride. But you might be surprised to know that in all 49 places in the King James Version of the Bible, pride is never mentioned as being a good thing. The Bible always treats pride as being bad. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there are several words that are translated as "pride," but, whichever word it is translated from, pride is always considered a bad thing:
In the New Testament, JESUS lists pride as one of the evil things that defile a man: "For from within, out of the heart of men, pass out the evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, greedy desires, iniquities, deceit, lustful desires, a wicked eye, blasphemy, pride, recklessness. All these evil things pass out from within and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23). Notice that in this same list with pride are murders, thefts, and blasphemy.
In this study, we will look at a few of the places in the Bible where pride is mentioned and answer questions based on each of those places. For clarity, we will use the Literal Translation of the Bible (A Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, Copyright © 1976 – 2000 by Jay P. Green, Sr.) unless otherwise noted.
The first place pride is found in most English Bibles is Leviticus 26:19. This verse is part of GOD's warning to Israel about what HE would do to them if they disobeyed HIM. In verses 18 and 19, GOD says, "And if after these things you will not listen to ME, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sin; and I will break the pride of your strength, and will make your heavens as iron, and your earth as bronze." What GOD is saying here is that HE knows that if Israel does not listen to HIM, it is because they are prideful. So, to break their pride, HE will make their heavens as iron and their earth as bronze. This means that HE will make the sky give no rain and dry up the earth. This will dry up their farm crops and cause them to have a famine. This famine would make many Israelites go hungry and some would even starve to death.
Do you think that GOD believes that pride is a serious problem?
Proverbs is a book of wisdom, written to help us—especially young people—know right and wrong and how to live in a way that will avoid sad problems and make us happy.
Proverbs 8:13 says," The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; I hate pride and loftiness, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth."
In this chapter, Wisdom is pictured as being a person, and Wisdom is speaking. In verse 13, Wisdom says that hating evil shows that we fear GOD. It is a good thing to have a proper fear of GOD. So, it is a good thing to hate evil. In the second half of this verse, Wisdom lists some other things that He hates.
What is the first thing that Wisdom says, "I hate"?
What do you think loftiness, an evil way, and the perverse mouth are? Here are some hints. The Hebrew word translated "pride" in this verse means to act in a way toward others that makes it seem that you believe you are better than they are. "Loftiness" in this verse is commonly translated pride in other verses of the Bible because it means swollen and, therefore, not humble. "Evil way" in this verse means bad road, and it means the wrong way to go. And "perverse mouth" comes from Hebrew words that mean to habitually say things that are the opposite of what is right and kind, so as to create antagonism or trouble. Do you think these things are related to pride? How?
The next proverb to speak of pride is Proverbs 11:2: "Pride comes, then shame comes, but with the lowly is wisdom."
Will being prideful cause you to be admired? What will it cause you to be? The Hebrew word "shame" here carries with it the idea of being publicly exposed and dishonoured as being confused and foolish.
Let's look at Proverbs 13:10: "Argument only comes by pride, but wisdom is with those who take advice."
What comes from pride? Do you think this should be found in a Christian family where everybody is supposed to love one another? How do we get wisdom? What do you think happens when someone tries to give prideful people advice?
In Proverbs 14:3, we read, "A rod of pride is in the mouth of a fool, but the lips of the wise shall keep them."This verse is showing the difference between what a fool does with his mouth and what a wise person does with his mouth. A fool uses his mouth like a rod. It is as if he beats people with his words. Do you think people will like him for this? Do you think they might try to get revenge? Certainly, it is wrong to get revenge, but some people will do it anyway. Throughout history, people have been sorely punished or even executed because they let their pride cause them to say something unwise to people in power, such as kings. The wise person is pictured in this Proverb as using his lips to preserve himself. What do you think this means? Hint: In English, we have a slang expression, "Button your lips." It means to keep your lips closed so you can't speak. We can't get in trouble by saying the wrong thing if we don't speak.
Proverbs 16:18 is very clear: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." This verse is saying almost the same thing twice as pride and a haughty spirit are almost the same thing, and destruction and a fall are almost the same thing.
Do pride and a haughty spirit have good results? Why would anyone want to be prideful or have a haughty spirit?
Proverbs 29:23 says, "The pride of man brings him low, but the humble of spirit takes hold of honor."
What does this verse say brings someone low? Then how do you get honour? What do you think is the difference between being proud and being humble?
In the New Testament, JESUS lists pride as one of the evil things that defile a man: "For from within, out of the heart of men, pass out the evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, greedy desires, iniquities, deceit, lustful desires, a wicked eye, blasphemy, pride, recklessness. All these evil things pass out from within and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23). Notice that in this same list with pride are murders, thefts, and blasphemy. Do you think that JESUS thought pride was a serious sin?
In 1 John 2:15-17, John says, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that which is in the world: the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and its lust. But the one doing the will of GOD abides forever."Is pride of GOD or of the world? Will it endure with GOD? What do you think this means for those who continue to be prideful?
Now notice Matthew 23:12: "And whoever will exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever will humble himself shall be exalted."If you lift your self up, which is another way of saying to be prideful, what will happen to you? If you are humble, which is the opposite of pride, what will happen?
Notice how James and Peter say almost the exact same thing: "Be humbled before the LORD, and HE will exalt you"(James 4:10); and, "Likewise, younger ones be subject to older ones; and all being subject to one another. Put on humility, because GOD sets HIMSELF 'against the proud ones, but HE gives grace to humble ones.' Then be humbled under the mighty hand of GOD, that HE may exalt you in time" (1 Peter 5:5-6).
How are you to be exalted? Who will exalt you? And who receives grace? (Notice also that we are to be subject to one another, meaning that we should act with humility to each other, especially the younger people to the older.)
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For each one that asks receives, and the one that seeks finds; and to the one knocking, it will be opened. Or what man of you is there, if his son should ask a loaf of him, will he give him a stone? And if he should ask a fish, will he give him a snake? Therefore, if you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your FATHER in HEAVEN give good things to those that ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7-11).
Do you think GOD will take away pride and give humility to those who ask HIM? Of course HE will. Our relationship with GOD is a loving and gracious one. HE wants us to get rid of our pride because it hurts us and gets in the way of our being the children HE wants us to be. And we want to please HIM for all the blessings HE has given us in JESUS CHRIST.
小狮租房小程序
手机APP
微信小程序
微信公众号
微信公众号
