The Altar and The Tent
祭壇與帳棚
祭壇與帳棚
文: 陳瑩
基督徒的生活，是一種祭壇和帳棚的生活。祭壇是向着神的，帳棚是向着世界的。創世記十二章七節︰「耶和華向亞伯蘭顯現說，我要把這地賜給你的後裔﹔亞伯蘭就在那裏為向他顯現的耶告華築了一座壇。」這給我們看見，祭壇是根據於神的顯現，沒有神的顯現，就沒有祭壇。沒有一個人能把自己奉獻給神，而是沒有遇見神的。奉獻的能力是從神的顯現而來，從神的啟示而來。口講奉獻的人不一定是奉獻的人﹔教訓人奉獻的人，不一定是奉獻的人﹔明白奉獻道理的人，也不一定是奉獻的人。只有遇見神的人，他才是奉獻的人。亞伯拉罕遇見神，就為神築壇。保羅在路上遇見主，就說︰「主，我當作甚麼？」所以，生命的轉機不是你自己如何定規，生命的轉機不是你要為神作這一個，作那一個。生命的轉機是因為看見了神。遇見神的結果，就是叫你完全掉一個頭，不再走從前的路。基督徒為神活着的能力在乎遇見神，不是你要立志事奉就能事奉。這裏的壇，不是指贖罪說的，乃是獻燔祭的壇，是羅馬十二章那「將身體獻上當作活祭」的壇。
甚麼叫帳棚？其意是流動的、不扎根的。亞伯拉罕完全奉獻給神，但他還有牛，有羊，有許多東西。他雖然把以撒獻給神，但他還有牛，有羊，有許多東西。他雖然把以撒也獻上。但神再把那個還給他。有的人為這問題作難，難道說奉獻就是把甚麼東西都散光嗎？不是，在世界活着，物質的東西是必需的。衣、食、住、是必需解決的。不過，我們對這些要用帳棚的原則來對付。我可以用這些東西，但不被它摸着。這些東西可以在我手裏，可以不在我手裏﹔可以加添，也可以減少。這就是帳棚的生活。
The Altar and The Tent
By: Dorine Chan
Christian life is a kind of life of altar and tent. The altar is towards God and the tent is towards the world. Section 7 of chapter 12 of Genesis says, "And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him." This shows us that the altar is based on a manifestation of God. Without the manifestation of God, there would be no altar. No one can offer himself to God without meeting God. The ability of sacrifice is from the manifestation of God and from the revelation of God. Those talking about sacrifice are not necessary people of dedication; those teaching others to sacrifice are not necessary people of dedication; those understanding the truth of sacrifice are also not necessary people of dedication. Only those who have meet God are really dedicated. Abraham met God and built the altar for God. Paul met the Lord on the road and said: "Lord, what shall I do?" So, the turning point of life is not how you establish your own rules, and not that you should do this and do that for God. The turning point of life is because we see God. The result of meeting God is asking you to totally turn yourself around and do not to go though the old road. The ability of living for God make Christians care about meeting God. Service can not be done only by your determination. Here the altar does not mean atonement but means the altar for sacrifice, which refers to the altar described in chapter 12 of Romans: the altar to present your bodies a living sacrifice.
What is tent? Its meaning implies moving and not rooted. Abraham totally dedicated to God, but he still has cattle, sheep and many other things. Although he sacrificed Isaac to God, but he still has cattle, sheep and many other things. Although he presented Isaac, but then God gave him back. Some people are obstructed by this question. Are we needed to scatter everything out to be devoted? The answer is no. Living in the world, material things are necessary. Clothing, food, shelter are necessary to be solved. However, we should use the tent principle to deal with these things. I could use these things, but they will not touch me. These things can be in my hands, and can also not be in my hands; there can be can add or reducing. This is the tent's life.