“The Christian Message: Prophetic, Not Diplomatic 基督教的信息是預言而非外交說話“（1 Corinthians 哥林多前書 1:22-25）
I thank God that I did not baptise any of you except … For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
我感謝神，除了 … 以外，我沒有給你們任何人施過洗，基督差遣我，不是要我去施洗，而是去傳福音；不是靠著智慧的言論去傳，免得基督的十字架失去了效力。
As Christians we are neither public relations agents nor diplomats but ‘prophets’ who witness and proclaim the gospel. Our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum! God offers no improved old life but out of death new life. Whoever would possess it must pass under the cross. He must repudiate himself and concur in God’s just sentence against him. Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him make no term with God but bow his head before the stroke of God’s stern displeasure acknowledging him worthy to die. Let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross puts an end to the sinner; Christ’s resurrecting power raises him to a new life along with Christ!
我們作為基督徒，既不是公關人員，又不是外交家，而是見證和宣揚福音的「先知」。我們的信息不是妥協，而是最後通牒！神没有改造過來的舊生命提供，卻給予脫離死亡的新生命。凡想擁有它的人，必須在那十字架下走過；他必須捨棄自己，同意神對他公允的判決。簡言之，他必須悔改，而且相信。他必須離棄他的罪，繼而捨棄自己。讓他不與神討價還價，卻低下頭來，忍受神嚴峻的擊打，承認自己罪該萬死。讓他帶著單純的信靠，注視復活的救主，從祂獲得生命、再生、潔淨與能力。那十字架結束了罪人屬世的生命；基督復活的大能，使他復活過來，進入與基督同活的新生命裡！
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding us that if those preach your word with a reliance on wisdom of words, your great gospel, the very power of God unto salvation, could be made empty and of no effect through human pride and cleverness! How sobering this danger is! May we be always on guard against temptation to establish good will between Christ and the world or to make Christ acceptable to the world. Amen.
禱告：親愛的主耶穌，感謝你提醒我們，如果那些傳講你道的人依賴的是言語上的智慧，你偉大的福音、神的拯救大能，便會因人的驕傲和小聰明，就失了效力，落了空！這危險的做法真的猶如一記警鐘！願我們常常提防那試探：要在基督與世界之間建立友善的關係，或要使基督受到世界的接納。阿們。
