2/2/25 牧者之言

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“荣神益人”
——华人基督徒如何过春节？

          1951年美国神学家莱因霍尔德·尼布尔 (Reinhold Niebuhur) 在《基督与文化》（Christ and Culture）一书中提到两者之间的五种类型。第一，基督反对文化(Christ Against Culture): 文化受了罪的玷污，基督徒应该避免、拒绝、并排斥文化。第二，基督属于文化(Christ of Culture): 文化是好的，与基督徒信仰没有任何冲突。第三，基督高过文化(Christ above Culture)：文化是好的，但要基督信仰对其做出最美的诠释。第四，基督与文化之间的张力 (Christ and Culture in Paradox): 基督徒与所处文化之间的互动始终存在一种紧张关系。第五，基督更新文化(Christ the Transformer of Culture): 基督徒努力寻求将文化的价值观和目的转化为服侍和荣耀上帝。由于篇幅所限，以上几点我不详细展开。多数福音派的基督徒赞同第五点，即根据耶稣的教导我们是 “世上的光，世上的盐” （太5: 13-16），我们在世界但不属世界（约17: 15-17），我们要以出世的心过入世的生活，不效法这个世界，只要新意更新而变化（罗12: 1-2）。
春节是华人第一大节日，是中国文化中很重要的一部分。在美国的华人基督徒面临三种文化：中国文化、西方文化及基督徒文化。华人基督徒如何平衡三者之间的关系，对于荣神益人至关重要。参照尼布尔所提出的第五种模式“基督更新文化”，按照保罗所说“所以，你们或吃或喝，无论做什么，都要为荣耀神而行“（林前10: 31）的原则，对于华人基督徒过春节，我和大家分享以下几点：
  1. 敬拜独一真神
        当尊上帝为大，绝不可祭拜偶像。《圣经》十条诫命（出20: 1-5; 申5:7-9）中的第一条和第二条明确规定，基督徒要敬拜独一真神，拜偶像是得罪神的。过年要杜绝各种形式接神，摆贡，贴财神画、门神画，或在微信里迎财神、抽签算卦等。我们不要提说或宣扬别神的名号（诗16: 4），更不要转发和传播。我们不要称呼人是“大神”，不要称呼某影视明星为“男神”或“女神”，不要把服侍神的仆人当成神（徒14: 14-18），也不要把天使当成神（启22: 8-9）。
在我们祷告时，基督徒称呼我们的神时不要说神是“万能的”（universal power），而要说神是“全能的”(almighty)。在和合本圣经翻译中，每逢提到神时都是说祂是全能者。顺便提一句，基督徒祷告时需要有谦卑认罪的诚实态度，然而在祷告结束时却无需自谦说“以上不配的祷告”，因为我们向上帝祷告的特权完全依赖于基督在十字架上做成的救恩，而不是我们自己的善工。基督徒可以张贴”福“字和有福音话语的对联，以及代表中国传统文化的服饰，比如唐装或少数民族服装等。
  1. 敬祖但不祭祖 Honor but not Worship Ancestors
         基督徒可以敬祖但不祭祖(We honor but not worship ancestors)。我们对祖先应予以“尊敬和记念”，却不应该“敬拜或祭祀”。华人说百善孝为先，圣经十诫的第五条人伦之首就是当孝敬父母。基督徒孝道的重点强调的不是在丧礼仪式上，而是在长辈活着时多与他们分享福音、多关爱体贴照顾、多分担家务，多以实际行动表达感恩之情。基督徒可以在传统节日时扫墓，藉此缅怀长辈留下的美好榜样，感激他们在世时所有的付出和辛劳。我们不磕头、不烧纸、不摆供品，但可以谦恭地扫墓，献鲜花，唱赞美诗。扫墓时，我们不为也不向死人祷告。我们是向上帝祷告，为活人求喜乐平安。这既荣耀主名，又向世人作见证。
  1. “从前属动物、如今属基督了”
        所谓生肖，既为华人之“十二属相：子鼠、丑牛、寅虎、卯兔、辰龙、巳蛇、午马、未羊、申猴、酉鸡、戌狗、亥猪”；它以十二种动物对应十二年或一天的十二个时辰。对基督徒来说，生肖只是标志，没有实在意义。
按着中国农历计算，今年是蛇年。基督徒对蛇这个标志持有特别看法，创世记中讲到始祖亚当受了蛇的引诱才偷吃了禁果、陷在罪中。我们认为，蛇本身并不是魔鬼，然而蛇却成了受撒旦所利用引诱人犯罪的工具。在蛇年时，基督徒如果想到要为主传福音、作见证，我相信上帝也是喜悦的。有位阿妮塔（Anita）姐妹在2024年华协新年庆祝的舞台上为主做了美好的见证。她说：“今年是龙年，但我们宣告今年要成为基督之年。愿基督得着所有华人！”我们同样宣告说：“今年是蛇年，但我们宣告今年要成为基督之年。愿基督得着所有华人！”
从谈论属相可以开启传福音的对话。有时中国人会问你是属什么的？从前你回答说：“我属羊、我属马、我属蛇”等。今天你可以说：“我从前属羊/属马/或其它属相，如今属基督了”。正如保罗所说：“只是我先前以为与我有益的，我现在因基督都当做有损的。 不但如此，我也将万事当作有损的，因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝” （腓3：7-8）。
  1. 吃喝要有节制
         新年时中国人会做很多菜，家人在一起享受团圆的日子。基督徒最好不要吸烟。吸烟有害健康。我们的身体是圣灵的殿，人不可伤害他人的身体，也不可伤害自己的身体（包括健康）。如果有吸烟的习惯，我们需靠圣灵的大能战胜烟瘾，为主做得胜的见证。比如：我的奶奶和我的美国妈妈都曾经历过戒烟的见证，她们曾抽过几十年的烟，但却借着主的大能戒掉了烟瘾。同时，基督徒“不可醉酒”（弗5: 18）。贪杯醉酒者难免失态。基督徒当竭力依靠圣灵竭力过分别为圣的生活，凡是容易使我们跌倒的事最好一概不作。分别为圣的生活，不是以不犯罪为标准，而是以合神心意为追求的最高目标。
  1. 抓住机会传福音
         传福音是基督徒的使命，无论得时不得时总要传福音（提后4: 2）。当给亲人打电话问候节日快乐时，可以与他们分享福音。当参加庆祝活动遇到人时，可以与他们分享福音，并邀请他们来教会参加活动。如果有人反对，我们也无需勉强，而应竭力与人保持良好的关系。
愿主赐福我们在新的一年里，力上加力，恩上加恩，荣上加荣，乐上加乐！主恩充溢，福杯满溢。愿平安如江河滚滚，愿福泽如洋海涛涛！以基督之名，阿门！

“Glorify God and benefit others”
——How do Chinese Christians celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year?

In 1951, American theologian Reinhold Niebuhur mentioned five types of culture in his book Christ and Culture. First, Christ Against Culture: Culture is tainted by sin, and Christians should avoid, reject, and exclude culture. Second, Christ of Culture: Culture is good and does not conflict with Christian faith. Third, Christ above Culture: Culture is good, but Christian faith should interpret it in the most excellent way. Fourth, Christ and Culture in Paradox: There is always a tension between the interaction between Christians and the culture they live in. Fifth, Christ the Transformer of Culture: Christians strive to transform the values and purposes of culture into serving and glorifying God. Due to space limitations, I will not elaborate on the above points. Most evangelical Christians agree with the fifth point, that according to Jesus’ teachings we are “the light of the world and the salt of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16), we are in the world but not of the world (John 17:15-17), and we should live an out-of-worldly life, not conforming to this world, but being transformed by the new mind (Romans 12:1-2).
The Chinese Lunar New Year (also called as “The Spring Festival”) is the largest festival for Chinese people and is a very important part of Chinese culture. Chinese Christians in the United States face three cultures: Chinese culture, Western culture, and Christian culture. How Chinese Christians balance the relationship between the three is crucial to glorifying God and benefiting people. Referring to Niebuhr’s fifth model “Christ Renews Culture” and following Pau’s principle of “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31), I would like to share with you the following principles about Chinese Christians celebrating the Spring Festival:
  1. Worship the Only One True God
God should be honored as the greatest, and idols should never be worshiped. The first and second of the Ten Commandments in the Bible (Exodus 20: 1-5; Deuteronomy 5:7-9) clearly stipulate that Christians should worship the one true God, and idolatry is an offense to God. During the Chinese New Year, we shall put an end to all forms of welcoming gods, offering tributes, pasting paintings of the Wealth god or Door god, or welcoming the Wealth god on WeChat, drawing lots, etc. We shall not promote the names of other gods (Psalm 16:4). We shall not call people “big gods”; we shall not call certain movie stars “male god” or “goddess”; we shall not regard servants of God as gods (Acts 14:14-18); and we shall not regard angels as gods as well (Revelation 22: 8-9).
When we pray, Christians should not call God “universal power” but “Almighty.” In the Chinese Union Version of the Bible, whenever God is mentioned, He is called the Almighty. By the way, Christians need to have an honest attitude of humble confession when praying, but there is no need to modestly say “the above prayer is unworthy” at the end of the prayer, because our privilege to pray to God depends entirely on the salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, not on our own good works. Christians can post the word “Fu” and couplets with gospel words, as well as clothing representing traditional Chinese culture, such as Tang suits or ethnic minority costumes.
  1. Honor but not Worship Ancestors
Christians can honor but not worship ancestors. We shall “respect and remember” our ancestors, but we shall not worship or offer sacrifices to them. Chinese people say that filial piety comes first among all virtues. The fifth of the Ten Commandments in the Bible, the first of of human ethic, is to honor one’s parents. The emphasis of Christian filial piety is not on funeral ceremonies, but on sharing the gospel with elders, caring for them, sharing housework, and expressing gratitude with practical actions when they are still alive. Christians can visit or sweep graves during traditional festivals to remember the good examples left by their ancestors and to appreciate all their efforts and hard work when they were alive. We do not kowtow, burn paper, or place offerings, but we can humbly visit graves, offer flowers, and sing hymns. When visiting graves, we do not pray for or to the dead. We pray to God and ask for joy and peace for the living. This not only glorifies the Lord’s name but also bears witness to the world.
  1. “I once belonged to animal, but now I belong to Christ”
The Chinese zodiac is the twelve Chinese zodiac signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The twelve animals correspond to the twelve hours of a year or day. For Christians, the zodiac is just a symbol and has no actual meaning.
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, this year is the Year of the Snake. Christians have a special view on the symbol of the snake. The Book of Genesis says that the first ancestor Adam was tempted by the snake and ate the forbidden fruit and fell into sin. We believe that the snake itself is not a devil, but the snake has become a tool used by Satan to tempt people to sin. In the Year of the Snake, if Christians think more about preaching the gospel and bearing witness for the Lord, I believe God is also pleased. Sister Anita gave a beautiful testimony for the Lord on the stage of the 2024 Arkansas Chinese Association New Year Gala. She said: “This year is the Year of the Dragon, but we declare that this year will be the year of Christ. May Christ gain all Chinese!” We also claim: “This year is the Year of the Snake, but we declare that this year will be the year of Christ. May Christ gain all Chinese!”
Talking about your zodiac sign can start a conversation about evangelism. Sometimes Chinese people will ask you what your zodiac sign is. In the past, you answered, “I belong to a sheep, or a horse, or a snake, etc.” Today, you can say, “I once belonged to a sheep/other zodiac sign, but now I belong to Christ.” As Paul said, “But whatever gains I had, I now counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).
  1. Eat and Drink in Moderation
During the New Year, Chinese people will cook a lot of dishes and enjoy the reunion with their families. It is better for a Christian to avoid smoke. Smoking is harmful to health. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. People should not harm the bodies of others or their own bodies (including health). If we have the habit of smoking, we need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the addiction and bear victorious witness for the Lord. For example: My grandmother and my American mother had both experienced the testimony of quitting smoking. They had smoked for decades, but they quit smoking through the power of the Lord. At the same time, Christians “should not be drunk on wine” (Ephesians 5:18). Those who are drunk will easily lose control. Christians should strive to rely on the Holy Spirit and live a sanctified life. It is best not to do anything that can easily cause others to fall. The sanctified life is not only based on not committing sins, but on the highest goal of pursuing God’s will.
  1. Seize Every Opportunity to Share the Gospel
We should always preach the gospel in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). When wishing our relatives or friends a happy new year, we can share the gospel with them. When meeting people at celebrations, we can share the gospel with them and invite them to church. If someone objects, we do not need to force them but should do our best to maintain a good relationship with them.
May the Lord bless us in the new year with more strength, more glory, and more joy! May the Lord’s grace overflow and the cup of blessing overflow. May peace roll like a river and blessings flow like the ocean! In the name of Christ, Amen!