“所以（因为你们有复活的保障），我亲爱的弟兄们，你们务要坚固，不可摇动，常常竭力多做主工；因为知道，你们的劳苦在主里面不是徒然的。”(林前15：58)要刚强壮胆！不拘是在个人影响的领域，更要在更广泛的信徒群体中，持守住你蒙召所做的美好大工。

本文来源:《传道者》杂志

翻译/朗读:TruthTV 小组

岂曰枉然？

作者：埃克哈特·穆勒，神学博士，基督复临安息日会全球总会圣经研究所副主任，现居美国 马里兰州 银泉

 一天夜里，有个小偷闯入了法国小说家巴尔扎克的单间公寓。为了不惊醒巴尔扎克，他蹑手蹑脚，不动声色地撬开了作家书桌上的锁。突然，从床上传来的一阵嘲笑声打破了寂静，巴尔扎克正躺在床上看着小偷。“你笑什么？”小偷问道。“我笑是因为想到，房主在白天都找不到一毛钱，你竟如此冒险，试图在晚上从这张桌子里找钱。’”1真是徒劳啊！所罗门总结了自己对人生的认识，他这样写道：“我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风” 。(传1:14) 2有时，我们回首自己从前在生活和事工中，甚至在这新冠疫情肆虐的艰难时刻为主所做的一切，扪心自问：“作为一个由牧师、学者和神学家组成的团体，我们的工作都是值得而有效的，还是（至少在某些方面是）徒劳的呢？”我们的个人事工有何成效？此处并非论及使命，而是我们做工的果效。虽然我们会报告许多好信息，甚至是神迹，但我们必须看到事物的另一面：

1.在教会层面，我们见证着信徒数量加增的同时，又面临着大量信徒的流失。我们为那些参与事工的人感到喜悦，但与此同时，我们也为那些对《圣经》毫无所知的人，和那些不与其他信徒交往的人感到担忧。我们面临着信徒的分裂，就像在政治层面上分崩离析，各个分裂后的团体之间沟通也越发困难。阴谋论和各种新奇的道理，以及很多的预言时间设定，都使我们更加难以获得人们的注意。

2.在个人层面，我们可能会问自己，我们的证道、讲座、写作和个人交往可能小有成绩。但我们牧养、劝勉过的男女仍可能做出错误的抉择。在我大学神学专业毕业班的12位同学中，只有3位终身从事教牧工作，并从牧师的岗位上退休。一些人不仅放弃了教牧事业，还离开了基督，甚至成为了不可知论者或无神论者。我们时常看见自己施洗的人离开教会，目睹自己主持婚礼的夫妇以离婚告终，以及我们曾经牧养过的教会被迫解散。这些数字和上帝的子民所处的属灵状态都不免使我们感到不安。

人们大可把这一切看作是自然规律——人们熙熙攘攘，各人只需对自己的行为负责——但这将意味着我们变得冷漠薄情，不再以牧者的心肠关怀（世界）。

教牧工作的徒劳

关于教牧工作，使徒似乎也有过类似的困惑。约翰写道：“我见你的儿女，有（照我们从父所受之命令）遵行真理的，就甚欢喜。” (约二1:4) 虽然这样看来甚好，但保罗可能也在暗示一些信徒已经放弃了他所称呼的 “真理”，这让他感到悲伤和痛心。

保罗决定与其他使徒探讨，“唯恐我现在，或是从前，徒然奔跑” 。(参加2:2) 他告诫腓立比的信徒要“将生命的道表明出来，叫我在基督的日子好夸我没有空跑，也没有徒劳” (腓2:16)。 对帖撒罗尼迦的基督徒，他也宣称：“为此，我既不能再忍，就打发人去，要晓得你们的信心如何，恐怕那诱惑人的到底诱惑了你们，叫我们的劳苦归于徒然。”(帖前3:5) 另一方面，他深信“我们进到你们那里并不是徒然的” (参帖前2:1)。他甚至说，在哥林多教会的信徒务要晓得“你们的劳苦在主里不是徒然的” (参林前15:58)。

哥林多教会

当哥林多教会面临着诸多问题，甚至严重的纷争时，保罗依然将其信徒称为在基督里成圣的人(参林前1:2)。他的问候表达了对他们的尊重，并且愿意像帮助兄弟姐妹一样帮助他们。对哥林多城中的信徒而言，有关复活的教导是一个特别的话题。到底有没有复活？在哥林多前书第15章，保罗开始论及耶稣的复活，信徒的复活，以及他所说的“末期”。“徒然（kenos）”一词在本章中共出现了四次。除此之外，使徒还在第二节中使用了一个同义词(eikē)。首先，他说，承蒙上帝的恩典，自己成了何等的人，并且上帝赐他的恩典也不是徒然的(第10节)。在讲完耶稣复活的证据后，他对哥林多信徒说：“若基督没有复活，我们所传的便是枉然，你们所信的也是枉然。 ”(第14节) 他认为，基督的复活不仅决定了他们的命运，也决定了他们在世上的生活，这也可以运用到我们在此时此地的命运和生活。没有复活，一切都是枉然。生命的虚妄是一个极具毁灭性的概念。

但保罗并未在消极的观点上止步。而是进一步描述复活的顺序、方式，以及最终如何胜过死亡：

“弟兄们，我告诉你们说，血肉之体不能承受上帝的国，必朽坏的不能承受不朽坏的。 我如今把一件奥秘的事告诉你们：我们不是都要睡觉，乃是都要改变， 就在一霎时，眨眼之间，号筒末次吹响的时候。因号筒要响，死人要复活成为不朽坏的，我们也要改变。 这必朽坏的总要变成不朽坏的，这必死的总要变成不死的。 这必朽坏的既变成不朽坏的，这必死的既变成不死的，那时经上所记: ”

“‘死被得胜吞灭’。。。

“……感谢上帝，使我们藉着我们的主耶稣基督得胜”。 (50-57节)

复活的结果

保罗总结道：“所以，我亲爱的弟兄们，你们务要坚固，不可摇动，常常竭力多做主工；因为知道，你们的劳苦在主里面不是徒然的。” (林前15:58) 他的陈述由三个部分组成：即两个劝诫和一个应许。

首先，保罗从信徒的坚固和决心开始。他们不会放弃对复活的信心，反要坚如磐石。保罗在前面两节中，提醒信徒们要持守自己所领受的，又靠着站立得住，并且得救的福音。他们若不信基督的复活和自身的复活，就是徒然相信了。(eikē；第1, 2节) 本书第15章主要讲述了坚固的概念和徒劳的危险。

随后，保罗将话题从信心转向了圣工。信心必须转化为行动。上帝呼召信徒从事圣工，并且一切圣工必须与建立巩固教会有关。甚至可能包括保罗亲历的劳苦、艰难和“冒死”。3 (第31, 32节) 然而，保罗呼吁信徒要“出色” (新标修订版第58节)，要为祂“热切做工”(新活译版) ，要“竭力”做工(新美国圣经译版)，为主做工要有成效。4

最后，保罗在此坚信，尽管困难重重，但为主所做的工都不致归于徒然。这是为什么呢？因为还有复活。这与第10节和第14节有关：保罗蒙上帝的恩不是徒然的，因为他不但相信基督，还为祂劳苦。但是，如果没有复活，一切所传的便都是枉然了。幸运的是，事实并非如此。基督的复活毋庸置疑，祂信徒的复活也必如此。所以，“在主里作的，绝不致于徒然”。5

恒久的努力

当我们以信徒、牧师和神学家自居时，我们的个人之工如何呢？我们付出的努力怎样，我们经历的失望又如何呢？对外展、传道、教导和牧养归于徒劳的恐惧，可能会使我们愁眉不展、负担过重，使我们的事工陷入瘫痪。我们可能看不到所渴望的结果，好的结果也可能在我们的眼皮之下毁于指尖。良好的开端并不都有好的结局。我们事工的成功与否也非身在当下即可轻易衡量。因此，我们需要反复聆听《圣经》的声音：

“所以（因为你们有复活的保障），我亲爱的弟兄们，你们务要坚固，不可摇动，常常竭力多做主工；因为知道，你们的劳苦在主里面不是徒然的。”(第58节)要刚强壮胆！不拘是在个人影响的领域，更要在更广泛的信徒群体中，持守住你蒙召所做的美好大工。

时至今日我还记得一位敬虔的老教友，在那个约有12,000名居民的德国小镇中，他是唯一的基督复临安息日会信徒。多年以来，他都想寻找乐意学习圣经的人，他挨家挨户地与人接洽，却没有取得成功。一日，他遇到一对带着两个孩子的年轻夫妇。他们愿意学习圣经，但老人已然非常虚弱，无法继续与人学习。到我接手时，这位敬虔的教友已经与世长辞了。他不知道这对夫妇已接受耶稣为救主，也没能见证他们信而受洗。他的工作是徒劳的吗？当然不是。虽然对他而言或许是失败的，但复活却要讲述一个截然不同的故事。

当我在安德烈大学学习时，曾学习过加斯·汤普森博士的咨询课。他也是我的论文导师。他的一句话牢牢地镌刻在我的脑海里，影响了我整个教牧生涯。他曾说道：“因为我信耶稣的复活，所以我也相信祂能使任何境况的婚姻重获新生，无论它是多么令人绝望。”我也如此相信。虽然他在我博士论文答辩后不久就离世了，但他所开展的圣工并不是徒然。

戈登·费说，保罗的“结语满含信心与得胜……如今我们在基督里活着，我们的劳苦，都不是徒然。他们的背后是基督胜过死亡的确据，它应许我们也将同样得胜。” 6 基督的复活赋予我们生命的意义和做工的价值。

 ——————–

1.《小偷》，Bible.org，https://bible.org/illustration/thief.·^

2.除非另有说明，原文经文均引自英文标准版。^

3.大卫·E·加兰，《哥林多前书》，贝克对新约的训诂评注(密歇根州 大急流城：贝克学术，2003年)，747。^

4.参林前15:58，麦克唐纳常用译本，《圣经作品》8。^

5.莱昂·莫里斯，《哥林多前书：导言和评注》，《廷代尔新约全书评注》(伊利诺伊州 唐纳斯格罗夫：伦敦大学出版社，1985年)，第224、225页。^

6.戈登·费，《给哥林多信徒的第一封书信》，《新约全书新国际评论》(密歇根州 大急流城：埃尔德曼斯，1987)，809。^

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IN VAIN?

By Ekkehardt Mueller, ThD, DMin, an associate director (ret.) of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

One night, a thief broke into the single-room apartment of French novelist Honore de Balzac. Trying to avoid waking Balzac, the intruder quietly picked the lock on the writer’s desk. Suddenly the silence was broken by a sardonic laugh from the bed, where Balzac lay watching the thief.

“ ‘Why do you laugh?’ asked the thief.

“ ‘I am laughing to think what risks you take to try to find money in a desk by night where the legal owner can never find any by day.’ ”1 Futility!

Solomon summarized his insights into life by saying: “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14).2

Occasionally we may look back at what we have done so far in our life and ministry for the Lord—maybe even during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic—and ask ourselves, “Was our work as a community of pastors, scholars, and theologians worthwhile and effective, or was it—at least in some respect—in vain?” What difference did our individual ministry make? I am not talking about our calling but about the results of our efforts. While we might report many good things, even miracles, we must acknowledge the other side of the coin:
1. On the church level, we deal with both numerical gains in church membership and enormous losses. Although we rejoice about those involved in ministry, at the same time, we feel concerned about those who are biblically illiterate and not fellowshipping with other believers. We confront congregations splitting into the kinds of fragments we observe in the political landscape, and it becomes constantly more difficult to communicate with each group. Conspiracy theories and strange teachings, including much time setting, make it more challenging to get people’s attention.
2. On the personal level, we may have asked ourselves what our sermons, lectures, writings, and personal contacts with people could have possibly achieved. Men and women whom we pastored and counseled make wrong decisions. Only about 3 theology majors out of 12 of my graduating class in college retired from a lifetime ministry as pastors. Some not only abandoned the ministry but also left Christianity, even becoming agnostics or atheists. All too frequently, we have watched those whom we baptized drift away from the church, couples whom we married later divorce, and churches that we once pastored be forced to disband. We are disturbed not only by the numbers but also by the spiritual condition in which God’s people find themselves.
It is possible to regard all of this as just a natural occurrence—people come and go, and they alone are responsible for their actions—but that would mean becoming indifferent and cold, ceasing to care with a pastoral heart.

FUTILITY OF THE MINISTRY

It seems that the apostles asked themselves similar questions about their ministry. John wrote: “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth” (2 John 1:4). Very good! But he may also be implying that some church members have given up on what he calls “the truth” and that it saddened and hurt him.

Paul decided to consult with the other apostles “in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain” (Gal. 2:2; emphasis added). He admonished the Philippian believers to hold “fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Phil. 2:16, NKJV; emphasis added). To the Christians in Thessalonica, he declared, “For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain” (1 Thess. 3:5; emphasis added). On the other hand, he was confident “that our coming to you was not in vain” (1 Thess. 2:1; emphasis added). And he even stated that the believers in Corinth must know “that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58, NKJV; emphasis added).

THE CHURCH IN CORINTH

While the church in Corinth struggled with all kinds of problems, including serious divisions, Paul still addressed its members as those sanctified by Christ (1 Cor. 1:2). His salutatory address shows his respect and willingness to help them as a brother aids fellow brothers and sisters. A special issue for the Christians in that city was the teaching of the resurrection. Was there a resurrection or not? In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul sets out to review the resurrection of Jesus, that of the believers, and what he calls “the end.” The term “in vain”—kenos—appears four times in the chapter. In addition, the apostle uses a synonym (eikē; v. 2). First, he states that by the grace of God, he has become what he is and that the grace of God toward him was not in vain (v. 10). After having provided evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, he addresses the Corinthian believers: “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain (v. 14; emphasis added). He argues that Christ’s resurrection determines not only their fate but also their life in this world and, by implication, our own fate and life in the here and now. Without the resurrection, everything is in vain. The futility of human life is quite a devastating concept.

But Paul does not linger with the negative perspective. Instead, he outlines the resurrection sequence, the manner of the resurrection, and the ultimate victory over death:

“I tell you this, brothers [and sisters]: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“ ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ . . .

“. . . Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (vv. 50–57).

THE OUTCOME OF THE RESURRECTION

Paul sums up his discourse by saying: “Therefore, my beloved brothers [and sisters], be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (v. 58; emphasis added). His statement consists of three parts: a twofold admonition and a promise.

First, Paul begins with the firmness and determination of the believers. They are not to give up their faith in the resurrection but must be solid as a rock. Paul here alludes to verses 1 and 2, in which he reminds the believers of the gospel—which they received, in which they now stand, and by which they are saved—to continue to hold fast to it. Otherwise—if they cease believing in Christ’s resurrection and their own—they will have believed in vain (eikē; vv. 1, 2). The concepts of stability and the danger of futility dominate 1 Corinthians 15.

Second, Paul moves from the domain of belief to that of ministry. Faith must advance into action. The work that God summons believers to abound in has to do with whatever builds up the church. It may even include toil, hardship, and “life-threatening peril”3 as Paul himself experienced (vv. 31, 32). Nevertheless, Paul calls upon believers to “excel” (v. 58, NRSV), “work enthusiastically” for Him (NLT), be “fully devoted” to the work (NAB), and be productive in the Lord’s work.4

Third, Paul has here come to the conviction that—in spite of all problems—the work for the Lord is not in vain. Why? Because there exists a resurrection. This part connects to verses 10 and 14: God’s grace toward Paul was not in vain because he not only believed in Christ but also labored for Him. However, if there were no resurrection, all preaching would be in vain. Fortunately, that is not the case. There is no doubt about Christ’s resurrection and no question about the resurrection of His followers. Therefore, “what is done in the Lord is never done in vain.”5

APPLICATION

As we consider ourselves as believers, pastors, and theologians, what about our personal ministry? What about the effort we have put in, the disappointments that we may have experienced? The fear that our outreach, preaching and teaching, and pastoral care could be in vain may frustrate us, burden us to the breaking point, and paralyze us in our ministry. We may not see the results that we desire, and some of the positive results that we witnessed may begin crumbling at our fingertips. A good beginning does not always come to a good end. The success of our ministry cannot be easily measured here and now. Therefore, we need to hear the voice of Scripture again and again:

“Therefore [because of the guarantee of our resurrection], my beloved brothers [and sisters], be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (v. 58). Be of good courage! Continue the good work to which you are called—both in your personal field of influence and within the wider community of believers.

I still remember a faithful elderly church member, the only Adventist in a town of about 12,000 inhabitants in Germany. Wanting to find someone interested in Bible studies, for years he went from door to door and talked to people, but without success. Then one day, he met a young couple with two children. They agreed to have Bible studies, but by now he was quite feeble and not able to continue. I stepped in and this faithful church member passed away. He didn’t know that the couple accepted Jesus as Savior. He didn’t see that the couple accepted Jesus as Lord and got baptized. Was his work in vain? Certainly not. Though for him it may have appeared to be a failure, the resurrection will tell a different story.

When I studied at Andrews University, I had to take counseling classes from Dr. Garth Thompson. He was also my dissertation adviser. One sentence of his especially stuck in my mind and influenced my entire ministry. He said something like this: “Because I believe in the resurrection of Jesus, I also believe that He can bring new life to any marriage, no matter how dead it may be.” I believe that too. Though he passed away soon after my doctoral defense, his ministry was not in vain.

Gordon Fee states that Paul’s “concluding paragraph exudes with confidence and triumph. . . .Our present existence in Christ, and our present labors, are not in vain. Standing beneath them is the sure word of Christ’s own triumph over death, which guarantees that we shall likewise conquer.”6 Christ’s resurrection makes our life meaningful and our work worthwhile.

——————–

1. “The Thief,” Bible.org, https://bible.org/illustration/thief. ^

2. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture is from the English Standard Version. ^

3. David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003), 747. ^

4. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:58, MacDonald Idiomatic Translations, Bibleworks 8. ^

5. Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 224, 225. ^

6. Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 809. 

^Please find the original article at https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2021/07/In-vain

传道者