[譯作]你是只綿羊還是山羊？
原文標題：Are you a sheep or goat?
來源：CARM newsletter July/2004 Devotions
http://www.carm.org/newsletters_2004.htm
譯者：lookupon
首發：2004年7月12日 於 [彩虹之約]http://www.bbsland.com
修稿：誠之

世界上只有兩類人：綿羊（sheep）和山羊（goat）。耶穌親自提出了這種分類，他說：“萬民都要聚集在他面前，他要把他們分別出來，好像牧羊的分別綿羊山羊一般，把綿羊安 置在右邊，山羊在左邊。”（太25：32-33）。當審判的那日，主耶穌將要審判這個世界，他要讓萬國聚集在他面前，那意味着每一個人都必須面對祂，每一個人都要在他面前為他們自己的罪負責。對於那些基督寶血所覆蓋、並得寬恕與潔淨的人來說（約壹1：7），我們不必面對神的震怒（the wrath of God）。但是那些山羊，那些還沒有因信基督而得潔淨的人來說，他們將會經歷神聖潔公義審判的完全衝擊。耶穌將會對他們說：“離開我，進入那為魔鬼和他的使者所預備的永火里去。”(太25：41)

你是只綿羊還是山羊呢？

很多人覺得，他們的善良會為他們在神那裡留一個位置。其他人則認為因着他們的虔誠，神會更加寬容與容忍，不會咒詛他們下地獄。這種虛假的盼望只會導致滅亡，因為聖經告訴我們，“沒有義人，連一個也沒有” (羅3：10-12)。而且，想靠自已的虔誠來獲得神的喜悅，是倚賴自身的品質，而這實際上會導致驕傲。相對的，那些曾經歷神同在的人，也經歷了謙卑，因為與神聖潔的同在，人必要自動地降卑。他們不會因自身任何的擁有而自誇或者盼望在神那裡的地位。

綿羊與山羊之間的區別，從靈命上來說，就是夜與晝、生與死、得救與滅亡之間的區別。山羊不聽神的聲音。他們未得重生，聽不到他，因為他們未得救贖，沒有聖靈住在他們裡面、引導他們、為罪為義責備他們（約16：8）。但是基督徒有神的內住（約14：23），我們有神的同在，榮享他救贖的恩典。

如果你是只綿羊，也就是說，如果你是個基督徒，你必然會聽到基督的聲音。耶穌說：“我的羊聽我的聲音、我也認識他們、他們也跟着我。我又賜給他們永生、他們永不滅亡、誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。”（約10：27-28）。如果你正在跟從他，你會知道，你聽到的是你主人的聲音。所以，你正在跟從耶穌嗎？你聽行他的話、他的教導和他的旨意嗎？你在尋求的是他或是別的？你回應的是他的聲音還是你自己的？這些問題，只有你才能回答。這些都是我們必須回答的問題。

我們都更需要聽到他、更愛他，並更多地尋求他。作為基督徒，我們需要和基督一同得分（林前1：9），並跟從他，就如同羊跟從他們的主人和保護者。當我們相信他會引導帶領我們的時候，我們就是因着信跟從他。聽從基督的聲音，也就是聽從神的聲音，他呼召我們要因信得生（哈2：4）。我們被選召在禱告中、在聖經的話中，和在聖徒的交通中尋求他，我們如此來聽從主的聲音。

因此，要確定你所跟從的聲音，是那真正的聲音。你怎麼知道呢？學習神的話語並傾聽基督，熟悉他的聲音。相信耶穌會寬恕你所有的罪，並求他潔淨你、贖回你，並救你脫離神的震怒。如果你聽到神的聲音，你會就近基督，因為父神引領你到他那裡去（約6：45）。同時，真正的耶穌會吸引萬人來歸他（約12：32），他為自己做見證（約8：18）。因此，當你的焦點是耶穌時，你就會聽到耶穌的聲音。

誦記經文：約翰10：4-5：既放出自己的羊來，就在前頭走，羊也跟着他，因為認得他的聲音。羊不跟着生人，因為不認得他的聲音，必要逃跑。

原文：
Are you a sheep or goat?
There are only two kinds of people in the world: sheep and goats. Jesus Himself gave us this categorization when He said, “And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left," (Matt. 25:32-33). On the Day of Judgment, the Lord Jesus will judge the world. He will cause the nations to be gathered before Him. This means that everyone will face Him; everyone will be held accountable for their sins before Him. For those of us who were covered in the blood of Christ, who had been forgiven and cleansed by the blood (1 John 1:7), we will not face the wrath of God. But the goats, those who have not been cleansed by faith in Christ, they will experience the full brunt of God's holy and righteous judgment. Jesus will say to them, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels," (Matt. 25:41). Are you a sheep or a goat?
Many people think that because of their goodness it will somehow merit for them a place with God. Others think that because of their own sincerity, God will be more forgiving and tolerant of them and not condemn them to hell. Such false hopes can only lead to destruction, for the Bible tells us that there is none who is truly good (Rom. 3:10-12). And, to seek favor with God because of your own sincerity is to appeal to a quality in your self, which amounts to pride. By contrast, those who have experienced the presence of God, have also experienced humility because you were voluntarily humble yourself when you're in His holy presence. They do not boast or hope of position with God because of anything in them.
The difference between being a sheep and a goat, spiritually, is the difference between night and day, life and death, salvation and destruction. The goats do not hear the voice of God. They are unregenerate and cannot hear Him because they have not been redeemed and do no have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spririt in them Who guides them and convitcs them of sin and righteousness (John 16:8). But we Christians are indwelt by God (John 14:23). We have the presence of God. We are greatly privileged by His grace in redemption.
If you are a sheep, that is, if you are a Christian, then by necessity you must hear the voice of Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand," (John 10:27-28). You will know that you are hearing the voice of your Lord if you are following Him. So, are you following Jesus? Are you following His words, His teachings, and His will. Are you seeking Him or something else? Are you answering His voice or your own? These are questions only you can answer. They are questions we all need to answer.
We all need to hear Him more, to love Him more, and to seek Him more. As Christians we need to be in fellowship with Christ (1 Cor. 1:9) and follow Him as sheep follow their master and protector. We follow Him by faith as we trust that He will guide us and lead us. To hear the voice of Christ, is to hear the voice of God, who calls us to live by faith (Hab. 2:4). We are called to seek Him in prayer, in the word, and in the communion of the Saints. In this we follow the voice of our Lord.
So, make sure that the voice you are following is the True Voice. How will you know? Study the word of God and listen to Christ and become familiar with His voice. Trust in Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and ask Him to cleanse you, to redeem you, and to save you from the wrath of God. If you hear the voice of God, you will come to Christ for the Father points you to Him (John 6:45). And, the true Jesus draws all men to Himself (John 12:32) and He bears witness of Himself (John 8:18). Therefore, you hear the voice of Jesus when the focus is Jesus.

Memorization Verse
John 10:4-5,
"When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 “And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ,"
CARM newsletter
http://www.carm.org/newsletters_2004.htm