基督徒社会责任（旧文整理 01） / Christian Social Responsibility (Archive 01)

下面开始按照你要求的统一格式撰写：中文一句，英文一句；英文采用较容易理解的 ESL 表达；从改革宗角度分析；大量引用圣经。

《基督徒的社会责任》系列
The Christian’s Social Responsibility Series

第一卷：《基督徒为什么不能沉默》
Volume One: Why Christians Must Not Remain Silent

——从改革宗神学看教会、政府与公民责任
—A Reformed View of the Church, Government, and Civic Responsibility

作者：
Philip Kong
Author: Philip Kong

序言：沉默也可能是一种罪
Preface: Silence Can Also Be a Sin

今天，越来越多的基督徒正在放弃自己的社会责任。
Today, more and more Christians are giving up their social responsibility.

当社会中出现不公义的时候，他们选择沉默。
When injustice appears in society, they choose to remain silent.

当弱者受到欺压的时候，他们选择沉默。
When the weak are oppressed, they choose to remain silent.

当无辜者被伤害的时候，他们仍然选择沉默。
When innocent people are harmed, they still choose to remain silent.

他们一次又一次地沉默。
They remain silent again and again.

然而，他们常常又为自己的沉默寻找许多听起来很属灵的理由。
However, they often find many reasons that sound spiritual to excuse their silence.

有人说：“我们的国在天上，所以不需要关心地上的国家。”
Some people say, “Our citizenship is in heaven, so we do not need to care about earthly nations.”

有人说：“世界一定会越来越坏，所以我们不需要改变社会。”
Some people say, “The world will become worse, so we do not need to improve society.”

有人说：“基督徒只需要传福音，不需要关心社会问题。”
Some people say, “Christians only need to preach the gospel and do not need to care about social issues.”

有人说：“政治太肮脏了，所以基督徒不应该参与政治。”
Some people say, “Politics is too dirty, so Christians should not take part in it.”

有人说：“一切都是神预定的，所以我们的行动不会改变什么。”
Some people say, “Everything is predestined by God, so our actions will not change anything.”

这些说法有时包含一部分真理。
These statements sometimes contain part of the truth.

但是，当一部分真理被用来掩盖人的懒惰、胆怯和冷漠时，它就会成为危险的借口。
But when part of the truth is used to hide laziness, fear, and indifference, it becomes a dangerous excuse.

圣经从来没有教导基督徒逃离世界。
The Bible never teaches Christians to escape from the world.

圣经也没有教导基督徒对社会中的罪恶闭上眼睛。
The Bible does not teach Christians to close their eyes to evil in society.

圣经更没有教导基督徒在邻舍受伤害的时候保持沉默。
The Bible certainly does not teach Christians to remain silent when their neighbors are harmed.

相反，圣经呼召神的百姓行公义、好怜悯，并为不能为自己说话的人发声。
Instead, the Bible calls God’s people to do justice, love mercy, and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

第一章：基督徒属于天国，也生活在地上
Chapter One: Christians Belong to Heaven and Also Live on Earth

一、我们的国籍在天上
I. Our Citizenship Is in Heaven

《腓立比书》三章二十节说：
Philippians 3:20 says:

“我们却是天上的国民，并且等候救主，就是主耶稣基督从天上降临。”
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”