神设立工作的目的 / Why Did God Ordain Work?

第一卷：《工作的意义与家庭责任》

第二章

神设立工作的目的

Chapter Two

Why Did God Ordain Work?

一、本章导论

I. Introduction

很多人认为，人工作的原因，是因为生活需要金钱。

Many people think that people work because they need money to live.

也有人认为，人工作的目的，是为了成功、地位和财富。

Others think the purpose of work is success, status, and wealth.

然而圣经告诉我们，工作的起点不是经济，而是神的旨意。

However, the Bible teaches that the beginning of work is not economics but God's will.

早在人犯罪以前，神已经设立了工作。

Long before man sinned, God had already established work.

因此，工作不是罪的结果。

Therefore, work is not the result of sin.

工作乃是创造的一部分。

Work is part of God's creation.

神创造人以后，立刻赐给人工作。

After God created mankind, He immediately gave them work.

所以，工作不是神后来想到的方法，而是创造计划的重要组成部分。

Therefore, work was not an afterthought but an essential part of God's design.

二、神把人安置在伊甸园

II. God Placed Man in the Garden of Eden

创世记 2:15（和合本）

耶和华神将那人安置在伊甸园，使他修理，看守。

Genesis 2:15 (NCV)

The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden to care for it and work it.

经文解释

Explanation

这里第一次出现了神交托给人的工作。

Here we see the first work God entrusted to mankind.

请注意，

Notice carefully,

这时世界没有罪。

At this time, there was no sin in the world.

没有死亡。

There was no death.

没有疾病。

There was no sickness.

没有贫穷。

There was no poverty.

没有竞争。

There was no competition.

没有资本主义。

There was no capitalism.

没有社会主义。

There was no socialism.

甚至没有市场经济。

There was not even a market economy.

然而，

Yet,

神已经命令人工作。

God had already commanded man to work.

这说明，

This shows that

工作的根源不是社会制度，

the source of work is not a social system,

也不是经济压力，

nor economic pressure,

而是神的创造旨意。

but God's purpose in creation.

三、“修理”和“看守”的真正含义

III. The Meaning of "Work It" and "Keep It"

圣经这里用了两个非常重要的希伯来文。

The Bible uses two very important Hebrew words here.

（一）修理（עָבַד，Abad）

Work It / Serve

这个词本来的意思包括：

This word originally means:

工作。

To work.

服事。

To serve.

敬拜。

To worship.

耕种。

To cultivate.

事奉。

To minister.

因此，

Therefore,

人在伊甸园里的工作，

man's work in the Garden,

本身就是敬拜。

was itself an act of worship.

改革宗一直强调：

Reformed theology has always emphasized:

真正的工作，

True work,

就是敬拜神的一种方式。

is one way of worshiping God.

所以，

Therefore,

星期一到星期六，

from Monday to Saturday,

并不是离开敬拜。

we do not leave worship behind.

认真工作，

Faithful work,

本身就是敬拜的一部分。

is itself part of worship.

（二）看守（שָׁמַר，Shamar）

Keep / Guard

这个词意思包括：

This word means:

保护。

To protect.

管理。

To manage.

忠心持守。

To faithfully keep.

照顾。

To care for.

因此，

Therefore,

神不仅叫人劳动，

God not only commanded man to labor,

也叫人管理。

He also commanded man to steward.

人在世界上不是主人，

Man is not the owner of the world,

而是管家。

He is a steward.

世界属于神。

The world belongs to God.

人只是受托管理。

People are entrusted to manage it.

四、改革宗关于工作的教导

IV. Reformed Teaching on Work

《威斯敏斯特小要理问答》第1问

人生的首要目的是什么？

What is the chief end of man?

回答：

Answer:

人生的首要目的就是荣耀神，并以祂为乐，直到永远。

Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

这不仅适用于星期天。

This applies not only on Sundays.

也适用于星期一。

It also applies on Mondays.

适用于办公室。

It applies in the office.

适用于厨房。

It applies in the kitchen.

适用于工厂。

It applies in the factory.

适用于学校。

It applies in school.

适用于农田。

It applies in the field.

适用于家庭。

It applies at home.

一个人在任何岗位，

In every lawful vocation,

都可以荣耀神。

a person can glorify God.

五、工作的五个属灵目的

V. Five Spiritual Purposes of Work

第一，为荣耀神。

First, to glorify God.

哥林多前书 10:31（和合本）

所以，你们或吃或喝，无论做什么，都要为荣耀神而行。

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NCV)

So if you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

工作属于"无论做什么"。

Work is included in "whatever you do."

因此，

Therefore,

工作首先不是为了老板，

work is not first for your employer,

而是为了神。

but for God.

第二，为服事别人。

Second, to serve others.

马可福音 10:45（和合本）

因为人子来，并不是要受人的服事，乃是要服事人，并且要舍命，作多人的赎价。

Mark 10:45 (NCV)

The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.

耶稣工作的方式，

The way Jesus worked,

就是服事。

was through serving.

因此，

Therefore,

我们的职业，

our occupations,

也应当成为服事他人的工具。

should become a means of serving others.

第三，供应家庭。

Third, to provide for the family.

提摩太前书 5:8（和合本）

人若不看顾亲属，就是背了真道，比不信的人还不好；不看顾自己家里的人，更是如此。

1 Timothy 5:8 (NCV)

Anyone who does not take care of his own relatives, especially his own family, has left the faith. Such a person is worse than someone who does not believe in God.

神把家庭责任，

God has entrusted family responsibility,

放在每一个家庭成员身上，

to every household,

尤其是承担家庭责任的人。

especially those responsible for providing and caring.

供应家庭，

Providing for the family,

不仅是经济责任，

is not only an economic responsibility,

也是属灵责任。

it is also a spiritual responsibility.

第四，管理神的创造。

Fourth, to steward God's creation.

创世记 1:28（和合本）

神就赐福给他们，又对他们说：要生养众多，遍满地面，治理这地……

Genesis 1:28 (NCV)

God blessed them and said to them, "Have many children and fill the earth. Rule over it..."

这里的"治理"，

The word "rule" here,

不是任意破坏，

does not mean exploiting creation,

而是忠心管理。

but faithfully stewarding it.

第五，为永恒作见证。

Fifth, to bear witness for eternity.

歌罗西书 3:23–24（和合本）

无论做什么，都要从心里做，像是给主做的，不是给人做的；因你们知道从主那里必得着基业为赏赐；你们所事奉的乃是主基督。

Colossians 3:23–24 (NCV)

In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, who will give you what he promised his people. You are serving the Lord Christ.

真正的老板，

Our true Master,

不是地上的公司。

is not an earthly company.

真正的主人，

Our true Lord,

乃是基督。

is Christ.

因此，

Therefore,

每一天认真工作，

every day of faithful work,

都是向世界见证我们属于基督。

is a testimony that we belong to Christ.

六、提摩太·凯勒《工作的意义》

VI. Timothy Keller — *Every Good Endeavor*

凯勒指出：

Keller writes:

工作不是为了建立自己的王国，而是为了参与神国度的工作。

Work is not about building our own kingdom, but about participating in God's kingdom.

改革宗强调，

Reformed theology emphasizes

职业没有圣俗之分，

that there is no sacred–secular divide among lawful vocations.

真正的区别，

The real distinction

不是牧师与工人，

is not between pastors and laborers,

而是忠心与不忠心。

but between faithfulness and unfaithfulness.

家庭讨论

Family Discussion

1. 为什么神在人犯罪之前就设立了工作？

   Why did God establish work before mankind sinned?

2. 你认为你的工作是一种敬拜吗？为什么？

   Do you see your work as an act of worship? Why or why not?

3. 你现在工作的主要目的是什么？

   What is the main purpose of your work today?

4. 你是否把自己看作神所托付的管家？

   Do you see yourself as a steward entrusted by God?

家庭祷告

Family Prayer

亲爱的天父，

Dear Heavenly Father,

感谢祢赐给我们工作的呼召。

Thank You for giving us the calling to work.

求祢帮助我们明白，工作不是咒诅，而是祢美善创造的一部分。

Help us understand that work is not a curse, but part of Your good creation.

求祢赐给我们忠心的心，使我们无论做什么，都像是为主而做。

Give us faithful hearts so that whatever we do, we may do it as for the Lord.

帮助我们借着工作荣耀祢，服事他人，供应家庭，忠心管理祢所托付的一切。

Help us glorify You through our work, serve others, provide for our families, and faithfully steward all that You have entrusted to us.

奉主耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们。

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

下一章（第三章）将进入本卷最重要的主题之一：

第三章：《工作不是咒诅——罪如何改变了工作》（Work Is Not the Curse—How Sin Changed Work）

这一章将系统讲解《创世记》第3章，详细分析：

- 为什么工作本身不是咒诅，而是地受了咒诅；

- 汗流满面的真正含义；

- 劳苦、荆棘、挫折与工作的关系；

- 改革宗关于普遍恩典、堕落与救赎如何更新工作的教义；

- 并继续保持完整中英逐句对照、全文圣经经文、改革宗信条及神学家的引用。