上帝在我家

註：本文轉自https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/christian-trends/is-it-sinful-to-be-wealthy.html非商業用途且相關版權歸該網站及作者所有。

Is It Sinful To Be Wealthy?

有錢就是罪惡嗎?

作者

Carrie Dedrick

I will admit… sometimes I worry about money. Yes, I know that the Bible tells me not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34), but it can be hard not to when the monthly bills arrive.
我承認，有時候我會為錢擔憂。我知道聖經告訴我應無憂慮 (馬太福音6:25-34)，但是收到每個月的帳單的時候，很難不擔心。

And yet, my husband and I have never gone hungry, even come close to it. We’ve never been homeless. When we welcome our daughter into the world in a few months, we can ensure that her needs will be cared for. The Lord has always provided for us, even when jobs weren’t steady or when unexpected expenses arose. 
但是，我與我的丈夫根本沒有受過飢寒。我們也從未無家可歸。當我們歡迎我們的女兒來到這個世界，我們能確定提供她所需要的。上帝一直都供給我們，就算工作不穩或是突然出現一筆開銷。

I don’t know your financial situation. Maybe you have experienced homelessness and hunger. Perhaps you come from family money, and you’ve never had to worry if the funds will be available to pay your bills. Or maybe you can relate to me; you’re somewhere in the middle and money is frequently on your mind… Did I schedule that electric bill? Is there enough in the bank account to cover the automatic withdrawal of the mortgage? What budget should we set on Christmas gifts this year?
我不知道你財務狀況如何。也許你經歷過無家可歸與飢餓。也許你家境富裕，你從來不需要為了付帳單而擔憂。或是你可以與我產生共鳴；你算是中產階級，常常想到錢的事情。我付清電費了嗎? 我銀行存款夠支付貸款的自動扣款嗎? 今年的聖誕節我們該如何規劃禮品的預算?

Money is tricky. We need at least some to live our daily lives, and having money means being able to give it to charitable causes (using it to the glory of God) but we have to be careful. The Bible warns us about the dangers of money multiple times. 
錢財的議題很難處理。我們需要至少一些錢維持生活，有錢也代表可以捐出善款 (為了上帝的榮耀)。但是我們要小心。聖經很多次告訴我們有錢的危險。

So what’s the deal? Should we strive to have money or not? This is the question that Dorsey Swindall digs into in her article Is it Wrong to be Wealthy? for the Gospel Taboo. 
所以到底是怎麼一回事? 我們應該立定目標賺錢或是不要? 這個問題朵喜史溫道在她的文章有錢錯了嗎? 有深入的探討這個福音常常不談的議提。

Swindall first cautions us about loving luxuries of the world more than we love God. She quotes the words of Jesus: 
史溫道先警告我們愛好物質的奢華勝過上帝的危險。她採用耶穌說過的話:

“Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).
「耶 穌 對 門 徒 說 ： 我 實 在 告 訴 你 們 ， 財 主 進 天 國 是 難 的 。我 又 告 訴 你 們 ， 駱 駝 穿 過 針 的 眼 ， 比 財 主 進 神 的 國 還 容 易 呢 ！」 (馬太福音19:23-24)

Swindall explains, “Jesus isn’t saying that wealthy people can’t be saved. He explicitly assures that all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). He’s saying that saving faith is difficult to come to when one is given many material goods and comforts. The more worldly powers and luxuries a person has, the closer the danger of loving the world—of preferring one’s own ‘kingdom’ to the kingdom of God; of thinking maybe one doesn't need God at all."
史溫道解釋說: 「耶穌並不是說有錢人無法得救。祂是明確保證所有的事情在上帝都可能(馬太福音19:26)。祂是在說救贖的信心較難獲得，當一個人被給予太多物資與物質享受。一個人擁有越多屬世的權力與奢侈品，就越喜愛這個物質世界，或是更喜歡自己的國，而不是神的國；甚至認為他根本不需要上帝。」

Having wealth runs the risk of loving the luxuries it can provide. Money can buy elaborate homes, fancy cars, extravagant vacations… the list goes on and on. But loving these things is what the Bible is talking about in 1 Timothy 6:10: 
擁有金錢可能會有愛上錢財帶來的享受的風險。錢財可以買到豪宅，酷炫的車，奢華的旅行，以及很多其他的東西。但是愛上這些正是提摩太前書6:10中所談的:
 

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…”
「貪財是萬惡之根。」

We would be wise to remember that the comforts of the world are nothing compared to the Kingdom of God.
我們應該聰明的記住屬世的享受根本無法與神的國相提並論。

So can wealth do us any good? Absolutely. 
所以錢財可以帶給我們任何好處嗎? 當然。
 

Swindall writes, “Wealth, provision, pleasures and abundance are part of God’s nature (Psalm 81:10, 1 Chronicles 29:16). If we steward these things by faith in God, we can be part of his good purposes for them in our world: to show his character.”
史溫道寫說: 「錢財，供給需求，愉悅，以及豐盛都是上帝屬性的一部份 (詩篇81:10，歷代志上29:16)。如果我們存著對上帝的信心來保管這些東西，我們也可以成為祂使用這些東西的美意的一部份；顯明祂的品格。」

Money can be used to the glory of the Lord. But we must be good stewards of our wealth for this to happen.
金錢能用來彰顯神的榮耀。但是我們一定要成為我們錢財的好管理者才會發生。

Swindall suggests asking yourself two important questions about your attitude toward money. 
史溫道建議問自己兩個關於金錢觀的重要問題。

1. Is God more important than your wealth? 
      上帝對你來說比錢財重要嗎?
    
2. Are people more important than your wealth?  
      人對你來說比錢財重要嗎?
    

Asking yourself these questions (and making sure the answer is yes!) as you think through your budget will help to ensure that you aren’t caught up in the luxuries of the world, and instead focused on the eternal. 
問你自己這些問題(確定回答是對!)，當你在規劃財務時，才不會被屬世的享受干擾，能定睛於永恆。

Swindall writes, “We can faithfully, generously steward our wealth (or lack thereof) because God has promised a new creation for those in Christ where there will be material abundance like we can’t currently imagine (Revelation 21).” 
史溫道寫說: 「我們可以有信心的，慷慨的保管我們的錢財(或是沒有錢財)因為上帝已經承諾在主裡的人會有一個新天新地，充滿我們無法想像的豐盛。」

The bottom line is this: It’s not a sin to have money. But remember it’s not really yours.
底線就是: 有錢並不是罪惡。但是記得，那並非真的屬於你。

Crosswalk.com writer Dawn Wilson says, “To develop a healthy, biblical relationship with money, we must build on this truth: God owns us and everything we have, and it is only as we wisely steward His resources we discover not only a thriving relationship with Him, but with money and possessions as well.” 
Crosswalk.com網站作家道恩威爾森說: 「與金錢要發展一個健全，以聖經為根基的關係，我們必須由真理建立: 上帝是我們的主人，也是我們所擁有一切的主人。只有透過我們聰明的管理祂的資原，我們才能夠發掘一個與上帝活絡的關係，與金錢以及財產也是。」

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) 
「不要為自己積攢財寶在地上，地上有蟲子咬，能鏽壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷。20 只要積攢財寶在天上，天上沒有蟲子咬，不能鏽壞，也沒有賊挖窟窿來偷。 因為你的財寶在哪裡，你的心也在哪裡。」