The pursuit of happiness is innate in all of us. Men have being trying to seek happiness in many different ways. Some people think that happiness is found in financial wealth, some through physical beauty, etc. Yet God says in Psalms 112:1 “Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!” The word blessed can also be translated as happy. Another way to understand the verse is: Happy is the man who obeys God’s commandments. True happiness can only be found by obeying God’s commandments.
We are going to look at the main commandments of God for the 4 stages of man’s life: children, singles, husbands, and parents.
· Children: Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.” Children must obey their parents. For if they obey their parents they have been given a promise of prosperity in this life. An obedient child is a happy child.
· Singles: 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 “I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that. To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am.” Single people must see their situation as a gift from God. God wants single people to use their time to serve God instead of looking for a partner. A single devoted to God’s ministry is a happy single.
· Husbands: Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious—not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.” The Bible never teaches happy wife, happy life. Instead it teaches holy wife, happy life. A husband who seeks his wife’s holiness instead of her happiness will be a happy husband.
· Parents: Deuteronomy 6:5-9 “You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength. These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.” God designed parents as the main spiritual teachers for their children and not the church. Parents need to be intentionally teaching their kids about God every day. An intentional spiritual parent is a happy parent.
我們每個人天生就渴望追求幸福,試圖以許多不同的方式尋求快樂。有人在財富中找幸福,有人則追求體格外表的美等等。然而在詩篇112:1神說:「你們要讚美耶和華! 敬畏耶和華,甚喜愛祂命令的,這人便為有福!」有福一詞也可譯為幸福。這節經文也可以這樣理解:服服上帝命令的人是有福的。只有遵守上帝的誡命,才能找到真正的幸福。
我們要來看上帝在人類生活四個階段的主要命令:孩童,單身者,丈夫和父母。
· 孩童:弗6:1-3「你們作兒女的,要在主裡聽從父母,這是理所當然的。 『要孝敬父母,使你得福,在世長壽。』這是第一條帶應許的誡命。」 兒童必須服從父母。因為如果他們聽從父母的話,他們就可以得到今生蒙福的應許。順服的孩子會是個幸福快樂的孩子。
· 單身:林前7:7-8「我願意眾人像我一樣;只是各人領受 神的恩賜,一個是這樣,一個是那樣。我對著沒有嫁娶的和寡婦說,若他們常像我就好。 」單身者必須將單身視為上帝的恩賜。上帝期待單身者用尋找伴侶的時間來服事上帝。獻身於神的事工將成 為快樂的單身者。
· 丈夫:弗5:25-27「你們作丈夫的,要愛你們的妻子,正如基督愛教會,為教會捨己。要用水藉著道把教會洗淨,成為聖潔,可以獻給自己,作個榮耀的教會,毫無玷污、皺紋等類的病,乃是聖潔沒有瑕疵的。」聖經從未教導丈夫要使妻子快樂,才有幸福的生活。聖經教導丈夫要使妻子聖潔,才會有幸福快樂的生活。幫助妻子成為聖潔,而非讓妻子快樂,這樣才能成為幸福的丈夫。
· 父母:申命記6:5-9「你要盡心、盡性、盡力愛耶和華─你的 神。我今日所吩咐你的話都要記在心上,也要殷勤教訓你的兒女。無論你坐在家裡,行在路上,躺下,起來,都要談論。也要繫在手上為記號,戴在額上為經文;又要寫在你房屋的門框上,並你的城門上。」 上帝安排父母成為孩子最主要屬靈教師,而非教會。父母必須每天積極地教導孩子關於上帝的事。屬靈上積極的父母就是幸福的父母。
~Min. David Or 柯啟洋傳道~
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