Tao and Death
朝聞道，夕死可矣
朝聞道，夕死可矣
文: 陳瑩
各各他山上，左右兩個十架，分別掛着兩個殺人放火的強盜，代表了全人類的縮影。在公義的神眼中，世人只有兩類人，相信悔改的得救，不信心硬的沉淪，但本質上都是強盜。你說︰我沒殺過人，照法律觀點，你我都是守法的人。但照神的標準呢？「凡恨他弟兄的，就是殺人的」（約壹3︰15），我們每人其實都殺過過人，因為我們至少都恨過人。神是從人內心深處看人的罪念。內心恨過人，這已構成了殺人的罪案。我們也沒有放過火，但聖經說︰「舌頭就是火」（雅3︰6），人到處說不負責任的話，說彎曲、悖謬、邪惡、淫亂的話，說閒話、廢話、不實在的話、不造就人的話，這些在神眼中，都是放火。我們一生實在殺了不少人，放了不少火。在神前，全世界的人都是強盜。按人看，兩個強盜都釘死了，按真理看，結局逈然不同。按人看，兩人已被釘在十架上，想做好人也沒有機會了，結局為何會不同呢？孔子謂︰「朝聞道，夕死可矣。」並不是因為他們對人的態度有所不同，乃因他們對「神」的態度並不是一樣︰一個接受，一個拒絕。強盜向主求告︰「祢得國降臨時，求祢記念我。」主糾正了他的話︰「今日，你要同我在樂園裡了。」因為福音是立刻見效，得救是一剎那的事，是一念之間的事，是絕對現在的，不必等到將來「得國」之時。
Tao and Death
By: Dorine Chan
On the Calvary Hill there were two crosses next to each other, hanging two bandits who had committed murder and arson, which were epitome of all mankind. In the eyes of the righteous God there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who believe and repent will get the salvation, while those who doubt and with hard heart will sink into vice. However, essentially we are all bandits. You may say: I have never killed anybody. According to the legal point of view, you and I are law abiding people. But how about the standard of God? "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." (1 John 3:15). Each of us actually "killed" people, because at least we all once hated people. God apperceives sinful thinking from people's heart. Those who have hated others in their heart have committed the crime of murder. We have never committed arson, but the Bible says: "The tongue is a fire" (James 3:6). People spread irresponsible remarks everywhere, and say contortive, perverse, evil, immoral, gossipy, superfluous, unreal and not edifying words. All these are committing arson in God's eyes. In our life we actually killed a lot of people and committed a lot of arson. In front of God, all the people in the world are bandits. According to human being's theory, the two bandits were crucified. But according to the truth, the outcome was very different. In human being's opinion, the two bandits were crucified and they did not have chance to be good people again. Then why would the outcome be different? Confucius said: "Hearing the Tao in the morning and die content in the evening." Not because they had different attitude toward people, but because when they were facing "God" there was different attitude: one accepted while another refused. The bandit solicited, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." The Lord corrected him: "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Evangelization can be effective immediately. Salvation can be done in the twinkling of an eye and as swift as thought, which is absolutely present without waiting for the future "kingdom".