【双语灵修】真理与公义TRUTH AND JUSTICE
出埃及记 20:16；箴言 14:21-27
“不可作假见证陷害人。藐视邻舍的，这人有罪；怜悯贫穷的，这人有福。谋恶的，岂非走入迷途吗？谋善的，必得慈爱和诚实。诸般勤劳都有益处，嘴上多言乃致穷乏。智慧人的财为自己的冠冕，愚妄人的愚昧终是愚昧。作真见证的救人性命，吐出谎言的施行诡诈。敬畏耶和华的大有倚靠，他的儿女也有避难所。敬畏耶和华就是生命的泉源，可以使人离开死亡的网罗。
8月24日
真理与公义
“不可作假见证陷害人。” - 出埃及记 20:16
律政剧之所以往往能呈现出引人入胜、扣人心弦的故事，是因为法庭上聚焦了人类社会共同生活的两个最核心的支柱——真理与公义。而这两个核心概念，恰恰构成了《圣经》第九诫“不可作假见证陷害人”的基础原则。
在解决争端时，古代以色列既没有警察部队，也没有犯罪实验室来提供物证，他们必须完全依靠证人的证词来断定是非。在涉及谋杀等生死攸关的重案中，情况尤其如此：唯有凭借至少两名证人的证言，罪案的真相方能水落石出。如此，公义才能彰显—既保护了无辜者，也追究了作恶者的责任。而一旦发现证人作假，那人必承受最严厉的惩罚（《申命记》19:19）。
没有诚实，遑论社会的公义。当人被谎言耳濡目染，整个社区和邻舍的生活便会陷入动荡混乱。令人悲哀的是，由于当今社会谎言与虚假信息横行，人们已很难信任某些言论。我们必须认定，诚实正直是至关重要，神绝不撒谎，当我们立志去爱祂，并爱邻舍时，也当效法祂的诚实。
祷告
主啊，你用言语的大能创造了天地。求你帮助我们，使我们总能以诚实的话语来荣耀你并尊重他人。阿们。
Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 14:21-27
MONDAY, AUGUST 24
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” —Exodus 20:16
Courtroom dramas can make for interesting and engaging stories. Why? Because often in a court of law, two of the most basic concerns for living together in society come into sharp focus: truth and justice. These two main concepts are the foundational principles behind the ninth commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
In settling a dispute between two parties, the ancient people of Israel had neither a police force nor crime labs to produce evidence. They had to rely on the testimony of witnesses to resolve legal disputes. This was especially true in highstakes cases involving murder. Only on the testimony of at least two witnesses could the truth of a crime be discovered. Then justice could be served to protect the innocent and hold the guilty accountable. And if a witness was found to be a liar, that person received the harshest of penalties (Deuteronomy 19:19).
Justice in society is impossible without truth-telling. When all that people ever hear is lies, their life together as citizens and neighbors is reduced to uncertainty and chaos. Sadly, because of rampant lying and disinformation in our societies today, it’s difficult to trust anything some people say. We need to see the utter importance of telling the truth.
God never lies. Nor should we, as we seek to love him and our neighbors.
With the power of your words, Lord, you created the heavens and the earth. Help us to honor you and others with truthful words always. Amen.