3:3 第一要緊的,該知道在末世必有好譏誚的人隨從自己的私慾出來譏誚說:
3:4 「主要降臨的應許在哪裡呢?因為從列祖睡了以來,萬物與起初創造的時候仍是一樣。」
3:5 他們故意忘記,從太古,憑上帝的命有了天,並從水而出、藉水而成的地。
3:6 故此,當時的世界被水淹沒就消滅了。
3:7 但現在的天地還是憑著那命存留,直留到不敬虔之人受審判遭沉淪的日子,用火焚燒。
First
of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come,
scoffing and indulging their own lusts and saying, “Where is the promise of his
coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were
from the beginning of creation!” They deliberately ignore this fact, that by
the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water
and by means of water, through which the world of that time was deluged with
water and perished. But by the same word the present heavens and earth have
been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of
the godless.
Chui
chhung-yeu ke he, ngì-têu yit-thin oi tî, chhai liá ma̍t-heu ke ngit-khì,
yû-têu ngìn su sṳ̂-yu̍k ke hot-chṳ, voi chhut-lòi met-sa ngì-têu, kóng:
“Kì m̀-he yin-hí oi chai-lòi mâ? Kì chhai nai-vi nè? Ngài-têu ke
chú-siên lûng-chúng ko-sṳ̂n lé, chúng-he van-yû kám m̀-he hàn lâu
thai-chhû chhóng-chho ke sṳ̀ khiung-yong mâ?” Kì-têu thiâu-thiâu m̀
ki-tet Song-ti chhai thai-chhû yung Kì ke fa chhóng-chho thiên-thi liá-ke
sṳ-sṳ̍t. Thi he tui súi, thûng-ko súi lòi sṳ̀n-hìn ke; khiu ke sṳ-kie
ya he tui súi, chhiu-he thai-súi lòi sêu-me̍t ke. Liá-ha ke thiên lâu
thi ya khiung-yong he phìn Song-ti ke fa pó-liù hâ-lòi ke, tén-to m̀ sin
ke ngìn su sṳ́m-phan, oi sêu-me̍t ke-ngit, chhiu oi yung fó sêu-thet.
*********
主耶穌再來這樣重要的信息,在講台上已經漸漸被遺忘了,多少傳道者去傳講這被弟兄姊妹忽略的信息呢?因為它是發生在將來的事件,不關現在的事嗎?所以不必理會它?
不是的,使徒們說道這事時,是與現在的生活所行是有相關的。因為我們現在是走在往「主耶穌再來」這個事件中,我們的一步一腳印,都是與這件事有關係,因為這條路是主耶穌走的,我們跟隨祂的人也要走。一步都不能差錯,一有差錯若不是聖靈的引導,我們就將會迷失。這也是為甚麼基督徒要常常悔改之原因,就是要修正自己的腳步,走向永生,面對耶穌基督必再來的事實。
然而耶穌再來必帶來審判,而可預知的是,若是世人不悔改歸向上帝,終必因自己的罪行而受到刑罰,這刑罰必如火一般,焚燒一切的悖逆和罪惡。要脫離這樣的命運,只有靠上帝在耶穌督裡的救恩。因為上帝是愛,所以祂設立這救恩。並且愛到一個程度,就是他最寶貴的愛子耶穌基督,都為人捨了!