16.路得記 1:16

16. Ruth Deciding for God
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Ruth 1:16
This is a brave, outspoken confession of faith, and it is made by a woman, a young woman, a poor woman, a widow woman, a foreigner. Her mother-in-law ought to have been cheered, notwithstanding her sharp afflictions, because her great temporal loss was accompanied by a greater spiritual gain. She lost her home in Moab, but found the soul of her daughter. Naomi's return to her true place brought Ruth to a decision: when Christians become consistent, their children and friends frequently become converted.
I. AFFECTION FOR THE GODLY SHOULD INFLUENCE US TO GODLINESS.
Many forces combine to effect this: —
  1. There is the influence of companionship. We ought to be affected by godly people more than we are by the wicked, since we should lend ourselves to their influence.
  2. The influence of admiration. Imitation is the most sincere praise: what we favor we follow. Let us therefore copy the saints.
  3. The influence of instruction. When we learn from a teacher we are affected by him in many ways. Instruction is a kind of formation.
  4. The influence of reverence. Those who are older, wiser, and better than we are create in us a profound respect, and lead us to follow their example.
  5. The influence of desire to cheer them. This should lead many of us to be attentive to the word, willing to go with Christian friends to worship, and happy to hearken to their conversation; for we know that this will greatly please them.
  6. The influence of fear of separation. It will be an awful thing to be eternally divided from the dear ones who seek our salvation; it is even painful to have to leave them at the Lord's Table, when they partake and we do not.
II. RESOLVES TO GODLINESS WILL BE TESTED.
  1. By the poverty of the godly and their other trials. Naomi was penniless, but Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee." Poor saints are often despised saints, and young people are apt to decline the religion of the poor.
  2. By counting the cost. You yourself will have to come out from your friends, as Ruth did. You will have to share the lot of God's people, as Ruth shared with Naomi (Heb. 11:24-26).
  3. By the drawing back of others. Orpah turned back with a kiss, as many do who promised well for a time. The return of Pliable must not discourage Christian.
  4. By the duties involved in religion. Ruth must work in the fields. Some proud people will not submit to the rules of Christ's house, nor to the regulations which govern the daily lives of believers.
  5. By the apparent coldness of believers. Naomi does not persuade her to keep with her, but the reverse. She was a prudent woman, and did not wish Ruth to come with her by persuasion, but by conviction.
  6. By the silent sorrow of some Christians. Naomi said, "Call me not Naomi, but call me Bitterness" Persons of a sorrowful spirit there always will be; but this must not hinder us from following the lord.
III. SUCH GODLINESS MUST MAINLY LIE IN THE CHOICE OF GOD.
  1. This is the believer's distinguishing possession. "Thy God shall be my God."
  2. His great article of belief. "I believe in God"
  3. His ruler and lawgiver. "Make me to go in the path of thy commandment" (Ps. 119:38).
  4. His instructor. "Teach me thy way, O Lord" (Ps. 28:2).
  5. His trust and stay. See Ruth 2:12. "This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death" (Ps. 48:14).
IV. BUT IT SHOULD INVOLVE THE CHOICE OF HIS PEOPLE. "Thy people shall be my people"

• They are ill spoken of by the other kingdom.
• Not all we could wish them to be.
• Not a people out of whom much is to be gained.
• But Jehovah is their God, and they are his people.
• Our eternal inheritance is part and parcel of theirs.
• A near kinsman is among them. The true Boaz is willing to take us to himself, and to redeem our inheritance.
• Let us make deliberate, humble, firm, joyful, immediate choice for God and his saints; accepting their lodging in this world, and going with them whither they are going.
• What say our hearers to this? Will you cling to your godly relatives? Or do you now take another road, and so choose an end far removed from theirs?

Often have I met with cases where love to mother has created in the young bosom a desire to know mother's God. The idea of never seeing again a departed father has full often led children to seek the Lord. Is not human love a highly suitable means for heavenly love to use? Babes are induced to walk by their desire to be in their mother's arms; many have made their first essays at faith because they would fain give a dear parent delight.
The converted freedman gave happy expression to his decided adhesion to Christ when he said, "I have got safe past de go-back corner. I'm goin' all de journey home. And if you don't see me at de first of them twelve gates up dere, just look on to de next one, for I'm bound to be dere." Alas! for thousands in all our congregations; they never get by the "go-back corner" — Dr. Cuyler
The power of Christian character shining forth from the face, form, and through the speech of a Christian man, is finely illustrated in the following incident: An Afghan once spent an hour in the company of Dr. William Marsh, of England. When he heard that Dr. Marsh was dead, he said: "His religion shall now be my religion; his God shall be my God; for I must go where he is, and see his face again."
I know his sackcloth and ashes are better than the fool's laughter. — Rutherford
In a memoir of the Rev. G. G. Letters, it is stated that he was converted at a prayer-meeting one Sabbath evening. That same evening as his mother sat with her children by the fire, she talked of the delight it would give her if they, as one family, were traveling together on the King's highway. Suddenly, George sprang up, and looking around him, said, with calm resolute voice, "I, for one, have decided for Christ:" — Wesleyan Methodist Magazine
Open union with the people of God is most desirable. It would argue disloyalty in a soldier if he would not wear his regimentals, and refused to take his place in the ranks. True, he might fight alone, but it would probably turn out to be a sorry business. If God's people will not be ashamed of us we need not be ashamed of them. I should not like to go into a public assembly disguised in the dress of a thief; I prefer my own clothes, and I cannot understand how Christians can bear themselves in the array of worldlings.
Charles Hadden Spurgeon

16．路得為神作出抉擇

一、對敬虔之人的愛慕，應當引導我們走向敬虔

有許多力量共同促成這件事——

• 同伴的影響。
  我們本當更多受敬虔之人的影響，而不是惡人的影響，因為我們應當把自己交給前者的影響力。
• 敬佩的影響。
  模仿是最真誠的讚美；我們所喜愛的，就會跟隨。讓我們效法眾聖徒。
• 教導的影響。
  當我們從一位老師學習時，往往在多方面受他影響；教導本身就是一種塑造。
• 尊敬的影響。
  年長、更有智慧、更良善的人，會在我們心中激起深深的敬重，引導我們效法他們的榜樣。
• 使他們得安慰的渴望。
  這應當促使我們留心聽道，樂意與基督徒朋友一同敬拜，也喜歡聆聽他們的談話；因為我們知道，這樣會大大使他們喜樂。
• 害怕分離的影響。
  將來永遠與那些切切為我們靈魂得救而努力的親人分離，實在是可怕的；甚至在主的聖餐桌前，看見他們領受而我們不能同領，也已令人心痛。

二、立志過敬虔生活，必然要經過考驗

• 藉著敬虔之人的貧窮與其他試煉。
  拿俄米身無分文，但路得仍說：「不要催我離開你。」
  貧窮的聖徒往往也是被輕看的聖徒，年輕人很容易輕視貧窮之人的信仰。
• 藉著計算代價。
  你必須像路得一樣，離開你原有的朋友；
  你必須與神的百姓同受苦樂，正如路得與拿俄米一同承擔（來 11:24–26）。
• 藉著別人的退後。
  俄珥巴親吻後轉身回去，正如許多人曾一度應許得很好，卻最終退後；
  「柔順者」的回頭，不該使「基督徒」灰心。
• 藉著信仰所包含的責任。
  路得必須下田勞作。
  有些驕傲的人不願順服基督家中的規矩，也不肯遵行管理信徒日常生活的法則。
• 藉著信徒表面的冷淡。
  拿俄米並未勸說她留下，反倒勸她回去。
  她是個謹慎的婦人，不願路得因勸說而同行，而是出於內心的確信。
• 藉著某些基督徒無言的憂傷。
  拿俄米說：「不要叫我拿俄米，要叫我瑪拉（苦）。」
  憂傷性情的人總是會有；但這不可攔阻我們跟隨主。

三、這樣的敬虔，核心在於揀選神

• 這是信徒最顯著的產業。
  「你的神就是我的神。」
• 這是他信仰的核心條款。
  「我信神。」
• 祂是他的統治者與立法者。
  「求你使我行在你命令的道中」（詩 119:35）。
• 祂是他的教師。
  「耶和華啊，求你將你的道指教我」（詩 27:11）。
• 祂是他的倚靠與保障。
  參路得記 2:12。
  「這神就是我們的神，直到永永遠遠；祂必作我們引路的，直到死時」（詩 48:14）。

四、但這也必然包含揀選祂的百姓

「你的百姓就是我的百姓。」
他們常被另一個國度毀謗。
他們並非完全如我們所期望的那樣。
他們也不是一個能從中獲得許多世俗利益的族群。
但耶和華是他們的神，他們是祂的百姓。
我們永恆的產業，與他們的產業密不可分。
在他們中間有一位近親——真正的波阿斯，願意接納我們，並為我們贖回產業。
讓我們深思、謙卑、堅定、喜樂、立刻地揀選神和祂的聖徒；
接受今生與他們同住，並與他們一同前往他們所要去的地方。

那麼，聽眾對此如何回應呢？
你是否願意緊緊跟隨敬虔的親人？
還是你如今另走一條路，選擇一個與他們截然不同的結局？
我屢次見到這樣的例子：
對母親的愛，在年輕的心中催生出認識母親之神的渴望；
對再也見不到已故父親的想法，常常引導孩子們尋求主。
人間的愛，豈不是天上之愛極其合宜的器皿嗎？
嬰孩因渴望進入母親的懷抱而學習走路；
許多人第一次嘗試信心的步伐，正是因為他們渴望使親愛的父母得喜樂。
一位得救的黑人自由民，用極其喜樂的話表達他對基督堅定不移的歸屬：
「我已經安全地過了那個『回頭角』。我要一路走回家。
要是你在上面那十二道門中的第一道沒看見我，就往下一道找吧；
因為我一定會在那裡。」
唉！我們會眾中有成千上萬的人，從未走過那個「回頭角」。
——庫伊勒博士（Dr. Cuyler）
基督徒品格所散發的力量，從面容、舉止、言談中彰顯出來，以下事件正好說明這一點：
一位阿富汗人曾與英國的威廉·馬什博士相處一個小時。當他聽說馬什博士去世時，便說：
「他的宗教如今要成為我的宗教；他的神要成為我的神；因為我必須到他所在的地方，再見他的面。」
「我知道，他的麻衣與爐灰，勝過愚昧人的歡笑。」
——盧瑟福（Rutherford）
在《喬治·G·萊特斯牧師傳》中記載：
他是在一個主日夜晚的禱告會上悔改信主的。
那天晚上，他的母親與孩子們圍坐在火爐旁，談起若能全家一同行走在王的大道上，將是何等喜樂。
忽然，喬治站起來，環顧四周，以平靜而堅定的聲音說：
「我，至少，我已決定跟隨基督。」
——《衛斯理宗衛理公會雜誌》
公開與神的百姓聯合，是極其可取的。
若一個士兵不肯穿上軍裝、不願站在隊伍中，便顯出他的不忠；
誠然，他或許能單獨作戰，但多半會以失敗告終。
既然神的百姓不以我們為恥，我們也不必以他們為恥。
我不願穿著賊人的裝束進入公眾集會；我寧可穿自己的衣服，
我也無法理解，基督徒怎能忍受自己穿戴世俗之人的外表。
查爾斯．海登．司布真（Charles Haddon Spurgeon）