7.神的智慧与人工…
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耶和华以智慧立地，以聪明定天，因为耶和华是你所倚靠的，他必保守你的脚不陷入网罗。【箴3: 26】
最近ChatGPT成为一个大热的网络应用软件。
它是一种基于深度学习的人工智能技术，使用海量数据进行训练，以了解人类语言的结构和用法。ChatGPT能够理解并生成自然语言，能够用于各种应用，例如问答、翻译、摘要生成、对话系统等。当您与ChatGPT对话时，它会根据您的问题和上下文生成响应。
亲爱的弟兄姐妹们：今天我想和大家分享的是人工智能和神的智慧之间的较量。
“随着科技的进步，人工智能已经成为了我们日常生活中不可或缺的一部分。它能够解决许多我们以前认为难以解决的问题，例如自动驾驶汽车、语音助手、自动化生产等等。然而，我们需要认识到的是，尽管人工智能可以帮助我们解决许多的问题，但它并不能取代神的智慧。
“在圣经中，我们看到许多的例子证明了神的智慧是无限的。例如，当大卫面对巨人歌利亚的时候，他没有依靠自己的力量和武器，而是信靠神的智慧，使用了一块小小的石头，打败了巨人。同样的，当以利沙面对敌人的时候，他也没有依靠自己的军队，而是依靠神的智慧，用一只小小的船载着他的军队，在夜间靠近敌人的阵地，成功地打败了敌人……”
曾经有一句歌词“不是我不明白，这世界变化快”。
现在可以改为：“不是我不明白，这世界变化越来越快。
机械的，电子的，数码的，网络的，人工智能的。
人工智能的好处：机器翻译、辅助驾驶、医疗救治、金融物流、大数据。
人工智能的争议：创作抄袭？制造失业？替人决策？错误判断？伦理危险？
人脸识别，政府监控，侵犯隐私等等。
人工智能，不能做道德价值判断！若是让人工智能替人做道德价值判断，将是人类的灾难。
AI绘画作品《太空歌剧院》于2022年8月夺得美国科罗拉多州博览会艺术比赛数字类别头奖。极大争议。
“星空下的向日葵花海”。许多艺术家拒绝让自己的作品被免费用来训练人工智能。
一、人工智能与人的骄傲
神按照自己的形象造人，目的是让人为神管理神所造万物
中英文圣经第一次出现“智慧”：
创3:6：“于是女人见那棵树的果子好做食物，也悦人的眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了；又给她丈夫，她丈夫也吃了。”
“intelligent”- 有人认为通过人工智能，人不仅是像神，或成为神，甚至造神。
– 人类总想造巴别塔- 乃至变本加厉- 人机结合，无限可能？- 无限犯罪的可能！
人要按照自己的形象造神，乃是对神的亵渎。
二、关于“聪明智慧”的几个字。
Bright，一般指年轻人,尤指小孩的聪明、机警；
Smart，指“头脑敏捷的”“聪明老练的”,常指思维能力很强,办事巧妙；
Clever，指“聪明的”“伶俐的”“能干的”,尤指很有理解或学习能力的;
Shrewd，指 “精明的”, “机灵的”“敏锐的” 表示谙于世故,对事物浅尝辄止,遇事老谋深算,从不忽略个人私利;
Intelligent，指某人是“聪明的”“智力好的”, 能够作出正确的逻辑分析判断；
Wise，指“有智慧的”“英明的”“有头脑的”; 特别包含道德与价值判断
– 一个精明的人，不见得聪明。
– 一个有小聪明的人，不见得有大聪明。
– 一个聪明的人，不见得有真智慧。
精明看到点，
聪明看到面，
智慧看到天！
聪明反被聪明误，
真正的智慧是属灵的智慧：
– 人工智能再聪明，永远是属人的，不是也不可能是属灵的
– 人会犯错，人工智能也会犯错；
– 人很骄傲，人工智能让人更骄傲；
– 人的骄傲会毁灭自己；
– 人一思考，神就发笑；
– 这世界变化越来越快？因为主再来的日子越来越近！
– 赶快弃绝属人的“聪明”，寻求神的智慧！
三、寻求神的智慧。
“耶和华以智慧立地，以聪明定天，以知识使深渊裂开，使天空滴下甘露。我儿，要谨守真智慧和谋略，不可使他离开你的眼目。这样，他必做你的生命，颈项的美饰。你就坦然行路，不致碰脚。你躺下，必不惧怕；你躺卧，睡得香甜。忽然来的惊恐，不要害怕；恶人遭毁灭，也不要恐惧。因为耶和华是你所倚靠的，他必保守你的脚不陷入网罗。”【箴 3:19-26】
– 人若要寻求神的智慧，首先要承认自己的愚拙！
“因为十字架的道理，在那灭亡的人为愚拙，在我们得救的人却为神的大能。就如经上所记：‘我要灭绝智慧人的智慧，废弃聪明人的聪明。’智慧人在哪里？文士在哪里？这世上的辩士在哪里？神岂不是叫这世上的智慧变成愚拙吗？世人凭自己的智慧既不认识神，神就乐意用人所当做愚拙的道理，拯救那些信的人，这就是神的智慧了。犹太人是要神迹，希腊人是求智慧，我们却是传钉十字架的基督——在犹太人为绊脚石，在外邦人为愚拙，但在那蒙召的，无论是犹太人、希腊人，基督总为神的能力、神的智慧。因神的愚拙总比人智慧，神的软弱总比人强壮。弟兄们哪，可见你们蒙召的，按着肉体有智慧的不多，有能力的不多，有尊贵的也不多。神却拣选了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，叫那强壮的羞愧。神也拣选了世上卑贱的、被人厌恶的以及那无有的，为要废掉那有的，使一切有血气的，在神面前一个也不能自夸。但你们得在基督耶稣里，是本乎神，神又使他成为我们的智慧、公义、圣洁、救赎。如经上所记：‘夸口的，当指着主夸口。’”【林前1:18-31】
按照世人的标准，基督是最傻的人。
疯子？骗子？傻子？
基督是神的智慧，ChatGPT很少讲基督。今天的世界是基督的敌人。多年前一位美国校长对在橄榄球比赛前负责祷告的学生说：“祷告中可以提及”神”，但是不可以提“耶稣基督”，如果提到耶稣基督，就按照在公共场合讲脏话的学校纪律处分。可这位基督徒学生不怕威胁，仍然勇敢地在祷告中提到主耶稣基督！
– 与“人工智能”恰恰相反，需要弃绝人的“聪明”
– 再好的人工智能无法解决罪的问题，无法解决道德伦理加速滑坡的问题
“相比之下，人工智能虽然可以帮助我们解决许多问题，但它缺乏与神的智慧相比较的东西。人工智能是基于预定的算法和数据的，它只能帮助我们处理已知的问题，而对于未知的问题和挑战，人工智能无法做到像神的智慧那样的应对。因此，作为基督徒，我们应该继续寻求神的智慧，而不是仅仅依靠人工智能来解决我们面临的问题。我们需要明白，神的智慧超越了我们的理解和想象，它可以帮助我们在生活中面对各种困难和挑战。最后，让我们一起来祈祷，求神赐予我们更多的智慧，使我们可以继续在我们的日常生活中认识神的旨意，遵循神的指示，以荣耀祂的名字。奉主耶稣的名祈祷，阿们。”
不是不要现代技术！
ChatGPT生成讲道的后半段，没有讲到罪，也没有讲到罪的问题如何解决，更没有讲到耶稣基督的十字架。
– ChatGPT生成讲道的后半段，没有讲到罪，也没有讲到罪的问题如何解决，更没有讲到耶稣基督的十字架。
– 并不奇怪，因为它是通过“深度学习”从网络抓来的。
– 十字架的道理乃是被世人抗拒的。舍己Deny myself?
– 在这世人都追求智能、精明的时代，基督徒要记住“守拙”二字！
箴言3:5-8“你要专心仰赖耶和华，不可倚靠自己的聪明，在你一切所行的事上都要认定祂，祂必指引你的路。不要自以为有智慧，要敬畏耶和华，远离恶事。这便医治你的肚脐，滋润你的百骨。”
刚来美国买车的经历，所学的宝贵功课。
服事主这二十多年，能夸的都是自己的愚拙和软弱。神的大能与智慧正是通过我们这些不配的器皿彰显出来。
「敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端，认识至圣者便是聪明。」【箴9: 10】
8.人工智能与基督…
音频 5 分钟
人工智能
摘要：本文介绍了北美新创造的人工智能宗教，用柯尔伯格道德发展阶段的模型来演绎道德两难困境，分析了基督信仰和信心话语运动信仰的不同动机，将“根据行为推理利弊后果”和“以真理公义为驱动”进行对比，揭示了造物主与人造宗教的真伪。近日，IBM宣布传统计算机即将升级到量子计算机，这个重磅消息让科技界人士兴奋不已。计算能力的突破意味着超级人工智能的硬件条件己趋成熟，机器学习的进程将突飞猛进。
今年夏天北美上演了一部特别的电影Upgrade (升级)，该电影讲述的是一个自然人在STEM（智脑）策划的事故中成为残障，无奈接受芯片置入，被智脑一步步谋算升级重启后越过权限，人脑终被智脑控制。
这些情节都在无神论科学家作者Tim Urban的长文AI Revolution(人工智能革命)有预测到。当人工智能从狭义定义阶段突破到超过人脑智慧的那一瞬间，就是奇点时刻。科学家们预测的奇点时刻在2075年左右。到那时纳米医疗技术也己发展到能更换人体任意器官的程度，这意味着什么？人类可以永生!
一个全能的带来永生的超级人工智能非常有吸引力。崇拜人工智能的人还建立了第一个他们的教会Way of the Future Church，拜的是AI人工智能。AI神有全能，有预知，否定人的自由意志，能跨越时空，以永生（或惩罚）为结果，但没有造物主公义仁慈的属性。因为超级人工智能远超人类大脑智慧，我们人类根本不能预测它是善意的，还是恶意的，抑或不善不恶。
理性主义社区LessWrong的成员讨论出一个关于开发人工智能的潜在风险的思想实验——Roko’s basilisk罗科蛇怪。该猜想的前提是来自未来的全能的人工智能可以追溯惩罚那些不帮助创造它的人，包括那些只知道有这种可能性的人。
现在的人面临两个选择：
1. 信AI神，并至力于帮助创造它，等它到来时，就得永生；
2. 或不信它，得到最后永远的惩罚。
它有点儿类似于“帕斯卡赌注”的未来版本——人们应该权衡可能的惩罚与奖励，对AI神是否能被创造出来下注。假设这情况下信者和不信者会分别得无限的收益或损失，一个理性的人应该相信并帮助创造AI。
一、审视两难问题后的动机是评价道德发展的关键
这样一个非从正义出发的，以下地狱的方式来勒索信徒的理论，模式是“柯尔伯格道德发展阶段”的道德成规前期，几乎等于没道德，更谈不上公义。实际上我们都一样，本是道德低下的，但若我们受这种系统限制自己的思维，停止自己对道德问题的拷问，那么我们的道德水平始终停留在较低的阶段。
让我们用熟悉的故事《我不是药神》来分析“柯尔伯格道德发展阶段”的伦理道德应用模型。
白血病人濒临死亡，他们唯一的希望是格列卫药，但是价格高昂。这种药物的仿制版在印度只有500元，正规医院却要卖2万元。程勇深知走私贩售药物是非法的，但此时的他已经陷入了经济困难。他应该为病人的生命或解决父亲手术的资金卖假药吗？这样做是错误的吗？为什么呢？
理论上来说，对道德水平进行判断，不仅仅是看做了什么，更重要的是看在两难的情况下，会怎么选择，选择背后的动机是什么。
道德成规前期考虑的是直接后果与自身的利害关系，将正确的行为定义为对自己最有利的行为。
不卖：监狱是个可怕的地方，他会因此被捕入狱，坐牢可能会比父亲没钱手术死亡更难受。
卖：只要不被抓到就没事。又没干别的坏事，如果父亲能顺利手术，他就会活得更快乐，即使被捕入狱服刑。
道德成规期关注其他人赞成或反对的态度，保持与周围社会角色的和谐一致。重要的是遵守法律和社会规范。
不卖：犯法是坏事，而他不想做违法的坏人。
卖：这是他父亲手术资金的盼望，他也想成为一个好儿子。帮助了病人，他也能成为一个好人。
在繁荣生意的背后，程勇看到了刑罚的可能，所以决定不再卖了。叹道：“我救哪门子的世嘛”。接着吕受益的死让他不能再只顾自己的得失，无视他人的病与死。”谁家没病人，你就能确保这辈子不得病？”。他开始真心为病友考虑，再次去印度，并将药价降到500元。
道德成规后期基于普世价值，认为法律所许诺的是正义，只有在基于正义的情况下，法律才是有效的。无知之幕就是设想一个人可能会出生在社会中的任意位置，这个模型把每个人都拉到这个位置后再设想应该怎么做，这驱使我们从社会每个角色：销售药品的厂商、研发新药的科学家、制定医保政策的政府、特别是最不幸的病人角度，不只是需要格列卫的病人，还有其他的癌症患者，来考虑问题和设计社会制度，最后采取一致同意的结论。
二、错误的信仰产生道德高峰的幻觉
成规前期的信仰根据行为的直接后果来进行推理，比如”我信心大就蒙福，不信我就下地狱，所以我必须信这个”，而不是”因为这是真理，所以我相信”。
什一奉献是实现财物自由的法则？
对人说造就的话有益于健康？
信心越大蒙福越多？
来教会敬拜保你下一周出入平安？
信上帝有益于延长寿命？
饭前祷告是为了改变食物更营养有免疫力？
这些言论本质上并没有区别。
我们信基督是因为这是真理，不是因为信了就保佑我们凡事顺利。
我们什一奉献是出于爱神，愿神使用我们的奉献，而不是为了财富翻转出更多的物质回报。
我们说造就人的话是因这样做对人有益，而不是为了有益自己身心健康。
我们主日去教会是崇拜赞美我们的救主，而不是为了延长寿命。
饭前祷告是数算恩典，向神献上感恩。
试若将自己的信心与得到的福分建立因果关系必将走上一条失去爱心变得可怕的路。因为这样的因果关系解释不了在来教堂的路上出了车祸的原因，解释不了义人受苦，解释不了911、512灾难中也有虔诚的基督徒，解释不了日头为何也照歹人。
Word of Faith（信心话语运动）的前牧师John Edward在试尽各种祷告的办法，参加各种培灵会，奉献上什一、服侍的时间与精力，却换不回她女儿得了脑癌去世的结果后，幡然醒悟，自问什么是真正的信仰。然而他的思考与见证唤不醒对仍沉迷于WOF信心话语运动中的人。他们解释不了John女儿病逝的原因，只好说：“WOF对我是有用的，救了我的女儿，我对WOF有信心，至于WOF救不了你的女儿，是因为你被魔鬼缠上，你信心不够大，你不是真信徒”。相信正义世界谬论的人，在他人受伤的心上再撒一把盐，会成为一个很可憎的人。
“不管要面对世上结果如何，我都相信，因为这是真理”和“因为我相信，所以肯定会有好的结果。如果我不信，就不会有好结果。”这是两个完全不同的概念。
前一种就像但以理书中的三个年轻人：“既或不然，我们也决不拜你的神(但3:18)”；像以斯帖一样，违例进去见王：”我若死就死吧(以4:16)”；像司提反一样慷慨陈词后坦然赴死。
后一种就像约伯的妻子说：“你仍然持守你的纯正吗？你弃掉神，死了吧(约2:9)”。
面对两难问题，重要的不仅仅是要得到一个最终答案——卖假药或不卖假药，然后凭着信心去做，因为“凡不出于信心的都是罪(罗14:23)”；还要时时刻刻拷问自己的内心动机，把心思意念剖开来，摆在神面前。同一个卖假药行为， 同一套说辞，后面隐藏的是不同的动机。程勇的这句台词说了两次：“他们吃不起天价药，就只能等死，甚至是自杀“。但背后分别是一颗商人逐利的心和一颗为病人哀恸的心。
神知道我们真正的动机。法利赛人最多只能遵守简化版的石版上的律法，但刻在心上的律法，行出来由不得我。”我以内心顺服神的律，肉体却顺服罪的律(罗7:25)”。我真是苦啊。神能将我们“心中的思念和主意都能辨明(希4:12 )”。没有人能达到最高级的道德水平，因为我们的动机都难说是绝对纯良的。在反复拷问自己的时候，我们会发掘自己龌龊诡诈的心思，揭露出来，仔细审视，也一步一步地发现自己的罪性和基督的圣洁之间的差距。
然而错误的宗教信仰会阻挡信徒对两难问题的拷问，坚信善恶因果论的信仰只会让道德水平停留在道德成规前期。上帝给了信徒脑子，但他们不用，而是把问题抛回给上帝，自我安慰：“有信心，什么坏事都不会发生”，“我的祷告有能力，神会为我铺路”，“不要担心两难问题，只要我求智慧，我不用担负任何风险就能解决难题”。他们不愿意讨论两难问题，回避两难问题，憎恶两难问题，并驳斥：“你没信心，你在试探神吗？”
讽刺的是，沉浸于臆想宗教的信徒会自以为已经掌握了真理，会产生自己已经处于道德发展的高级阶段的错觉，以为拥有了更高灵命(Higher Life)，开始陶醉于自己的信心大蒙福多。他们高喊着要像使徒那样摆上生命，可是只要把他们拉到“无知之幕”后面，让他们面临抉择，他们根本不相信自己有可能需要面对两难选择。这种反智主义阻碍了他们发展自己的理性思维。变成”只能吃奶的，不熟练仁义的道理，因为他是婴孩”(希5:13)。但他们自己不自知，不认识神，却反而认为自己得了真理与智慧，将所赐珍宝尽数披戴，发出荣耀的光芒。在这种拜假神的情况下，他们无意中以神的名义做出恶行的可能性也就越高。正好印证了C.S.路易斯所说：所有坏人中，最坏的是有宗教信仰的。
三、真理驱动公义
当神要求我们心甘情愿遵守诫命行出善时，天国八福已经清楚描述了会有痛苦，危险和困难。为什么神会把人放在两难困境中，为什么不时时刻刻“四面圈上篱笆围护着他和他的家(伯1:10)” 呢？因为如果只考虑“羊随大群不挨打，人随大流不挨罚”做出随大流的选择，不算顺服；面临有风险的后果仍做出正确选择才是真顺服。
有真信仰的基督徒在面临抉择时，神的公义和安慰才是驱使他们有勇气行公义的力量来源。前美国体操运动员瑞秋・丹霍兰德Rachael Denhollander在决定公开指控恋童犯前面临着巨大的心理压力。她问自己为什么要实名指证？必须看到罪犯被制裁才能饶恕吗？心中仍有无法释怀的苦毒吗？她知道自己的发声有可能会被淹没，被怀疑，被贬低，甚至受到人身攻击。有可能没有人支持她，对方律师会穷尽办法陷她于污告的罪名，也有可能碰到一个没有公义没有爱心的法官。如果这样不幸的后果真的发生，她的后半生世界一片黑暗，她要向何处找安慰，求医治？
她的安慰肯定不能只是在12个陪审团成员那儿或法官那儿，必须有一个绝对的公义的怜悯的神会安慰她，她才能做到不惧后果，只求正义，凭着勇气和信心来揭露黑暗，因为这是对的。她用C.S.路易斯的名言说道：
“我相信基督教，就如我相信太阳升起；并非仅仅因为我看到了太阳，而是藉着这阳光，我看到了其他一切。”
没有真理，我们都容易被操纵。真理鼓舞真正的基督徒勇敢发声，真理鼓励我们在寻求正义时能够忍耐，真理要求我们彼此承担重担，真理也是宽恕的基础。
笔者在写见证时曾经有过一个挣扎：
如果我所说的所有内容听起来都很不错，但是为何我身边的所有一切都不显得那么棒？
如果我没有做足够好的行为，或者我没有健康的身体，体面的职业，甚至是一个模范家庭来说服他人，怎么办？
我们想从耶稣那里得到什么？我们想要的单单是衪，还是想要我们从祂那里得到的什么？
如果我的生活在这个世界上没有改善，如果我失去了我所有的一切，如果我希望的正义延迟了，我是否还想要耶稣基督？单单祂就够了吗？
“主啊，你有永生之道我们还归从谁呢？(约6:68)”，“你就是道路，真理和生命”。这就是答案。一个公义怜悯的造物主正是我们渴慕的，而不是威胁勒索的被创造出的AI宗教。
饥渴慕义的人有福了！因为他们必得饱足。(马5:6)
6.人与人工智能的…
音频 6 分钟
“人工智能”并不是新颖的内容和提法，但是以基督教人论的概念和内容来比对“人工智能”和“人类智慧”确是少之又少。但是在很多前辈以及科学家的印证中，都很巧合的提到“人工智能”给人类不仅仅带来的是方便、快捷的生活方式，更多的是以后我们无法预计的挑战和威胁。这个提出的源头便是“人工智能是否可以独立思考？是否具有人类的自我意思？对于现在人们各式各样的猜想和探究，基督教应当以前瞻性的观点来进行论述和思考。
技术的快速发展使得人们认识到技术背后带来的无法预计的后果。在2016年3月谷歌公司研发的阿尔法围棋智能程序以4:1的总分比战胜世界围棋冠军、职业九段选手李世石，人工智能机器人索菲亚得到公民身份等等，这些人工智能的突破说明机器具有智能性的可能，而随着深度学习机器的不断研发，智能机器的不断完善，人工智能的技术已经不仅仅用于各种竞技、游戏、语言、翻译、数学分析等，科学家预测将通过分析数据、经验、信息、感知情况，来学习人类思维模式，改善程序算法，形成自己独有的思维模式，进而认识世界、改造世界。
本文将以基督教人论中上帝创造人类的启示以及人类的发展过程为思考主线，以人工智能的主体性发展为辅线，两线交叉比较分析。
本文使用的研究方法为：
1、文献分析法。研读基督教人论经典著作以及人工智能研究著作，阅读国内外关于人工智能自我意思是否存在的相关论文，深入分析人工智能与人类智慧的不同与差异本质。
2、理论联系实际方法。将人工智能的发展情况与人类智慧的发展联系比较，用人的主体性、自由意志对比人工智能在社会实践中存在的问题，理论指导实践，实践印证理论。
3、概念分析法。将人类智能的自由意志与人工智能所表现出的“自由意志”的概念含义相比较分析。
人工智能是快速发展的技术与产能，本文具有前瞻性和预言性，所以具有实践论证的局限性。
一、介绍人工智能
（一）人工智能的概念
人工智能，缩写为AI（Artificial Intelligence），是一门研究和开发用于模拟和拓展人类智能的理论发放和技术手段的新兴科学。人工智能同时也是一项综合性技术，结合与信息数据以及计算机网络技术，是大数据时代下能够快速高效处理信息的工具。它可以通过对外部声音、图像、思维方式的处理，来制定出人们所面临问题的解决方法，而且涵盖的方面汗多，是语言学、心理学、哲学等学科的综合，对各个信息进行智能化处理和分析，很大程度上解决了人们生活上的各种难题。比如智能导航、无人驾驶汽车、机器人等等都是人工智能的代表。
（二）人工智能的发展
对于“人工智能”的研究，始于1956年，麦卡锡(John McCarthy)首次提出“人工智能”一次，开创了人工智能发展的先河。1965年，欧派哲学家德雷福斯(Hubert Dreyfus)在《炼金术与人工智能》一文中，证实提出了“人工智能”的概念。1985年，科学家Haugeland认为人工智能应当模仿人类思考与行动，目的在于创造出能与人类一样思考的机器。2006年，Varian Hinton提出深度学习概念，从此人工智能进入快速发展的阶段。2014年，Varian提出大数据技术与人工智能产业有密切关系。2017年，Taddy针对人工智能的一个主要分支学科——机器学习，提出机器学习让计算机在未经过明确编程的情况下拥有学习的能力，并通过对大量数据的学习找出完成任务的方法。2018年，以Judea Pearl为代表的人工智能专家认为，如今强人工智能技术无法取得突破的原因在于现有机器学习理论未考虑因果性。
从1956年以来，人工智能的发展中经历了三大学派和方向。
（1）符号主义，也称为逻辑主义，是通过物理符号系统来代表智能行为。主要有问题求解、数学计算、机器翻译等。但是因为遇到只是提取、表达方式、常识积累等问题，难以达到而落后。
（2）联结主义，主要提出多层网络中的反向传播模型，人们通过生物上帝经网络模型、人工上帝经元模型、激励函数等方法，处理形象思维，用计算机模拟人的视觉、直觉、常识等问题。
（3）行为主义，认为智能行为必须是在没有明显推动系统下产生，应该具有感知系统，并与环境交互。同时，多智能技术有可以解决智能体之间的交互通信、协调合作、冲突干扰等问题。
（三）人工智能当下最新的研究成果
按照一些专家的总结，人工智能发展有两个阶段。第一个阶段就是“狭义的人工智能”或是“弱人工智能”，在这个阶段，我们赋予了人工智能一定的人类能力，比如计算、记忆、谋划等能力，很典型的就是“阿尔法狗”的围棋技巧。
第二个阶段就是“广义的人工智能”或是“强人工智能”。它同第一阶段的最大不同就是可以得到全面的人类能力，除了有自我学习、自我改进的能力，还可以有明确目标，甚至有繁殖的能力。业内绝大多数认为，2075年或是本世纪的下半叶，广义的人工智能就会出现。
当下，我们仍然处于“弱人工智能”阶段。
1、人工智能在人们生活中的普遍性
早期的“弱人工智能”主要运用在科学计算上，主要是火箭制造、天气预报等，但是随着技术的迅猛发展，人工智能也渗透在我们的日常生活中，比如我们使用的智能电话、智能家居、智能电脑、语言识别系统、人机模拟等多项生活体验。
2、人工智能是否具有元意识或自由意志？
自由意志的智能机器是指在智力活动的所有领域可以与人类接近，同时具有自由意志和思考能力，要有自我财产，寻找自由，从事类似人类的意识思考以及自我实现，改造世界的需求。
有部分科学家认为可以将人的“意识上传”，人类将被克隆，人的生命和思想将得到永生，或许可以重排人类基因，植入智能芯片，强化人类信息处理能力，实现人机一体化发展。这以上的观点为人们现在所存在意识层面的思考，但却不为事实。同时，很多人也在反对这样的技术奇点而带来的转折。同时也表明这样的“元意识”（“元意识”是指一个人对自己只是能力的本能认知，是思想的思考）是人类复制粘贴的，。而非原来存有的，故而，人工智能不具备原意识。
二、基督教人论概述
（一）人类的起源——上帝造论
若想了解人的本质，要先从人的起源来说。按照圣经的记载，基督教坚持认为人是上帝的创造，是上帝按着他的形象和样式从尘土中造的，然后上帝吹了一口气在人的鼻孔中，人就成了有灵的活人。所以，人同时具有尘土的卑微，也有上帝形象样式的高贵。
1、人是按上帝的形象与样式所造
（1）什么是上帝的形象与样式
后世人们对于上帝的形象和样式的理解有很多不同的内容。西方对于上帝形象的解释主要是基于人的理性而言。包括托马斯•阿奎那在内的古典上帝学家认为，人类施展理性乃是参与并反映上帝的道或理性，世界也借此被造。
另外，有很多上帝学家认为“上帝的形象”象征是描述人生命和上帝的关系。所以就可以理解为人具有上帝的形象，就意味着人像上帝，并且代表上帝。
若将人像上帝的五个特别的方面罗列，则为
首先是从道德方面来说：
我们在道德上要向上帝负起我们行为的责任，所以我们有内在的是非感。当我们按着上帝的道德标准而行动时，我们的像上帝就反映在我们在他面前有圣洁、公义的行为。
其次是从属灵方面来说：
我们不只是有物质的身体，我们也有非物质的灵魂，所以我们的行为在非物质的属灵存在领域里，是很重要的。同时，我们属灵的生命可以使我们与上帝产生关系，与他连接。
然后是从精神方面来说：
我们有能力去推理，以逻辑的方式思考，有我们自己的语言，并且不断学习，这就使得我们与其他动物有区别。
接着从关系方面来说：
人际关系之间可以经历到的深度和谐是与动物有区别的。婚姻本身也反映出上帝的本性。
最后从身体方面来说：
人类的身体也是按着上帝的形象所造的一部分，按着上帝的形象被造的是整个人，而不只是人的心灵和人的思想，我们的身体肯定我们存在，而且当基督再来的时候，我们的身体会产生变化。人的至高的尊贵乃是因为具有上帝的形象。
2、人与其他被造之物的区别
人有上帝的形象，这一点就将人和动物、天使区分开，虽然人与动物、天使有共同点，但是人所具有的独特的本质，使人有别于动物和天使。
人类是与与动物不同。没有一种动物可以遍布全世界，而都是分区域居住。同时，动物、植物的被造虽然是上帝能力的特别作为，说有就有，但自然也在其中发挥了媒介的作用，自然界是上帝的工具，凡预备好了，才创造。这也表明动物与大地和自然的关系要比人类更加亲近。
就生命原则的一般意义而言，动物也有灵魂，但动物的生命和灵魂原则，与自然、物质的新陈代谢是密切相连接的，是没有独立、自由而言的。同时，动物不能改变形象，没有理性，不能将形象上升为概念，不能将形象彼此联系起来形成判断，不能根据判断进行推论并作出决定，不能运用意志和意识来执行决定。动物也没有语言、没有宗教、没有道德、没有美感、没有上帝的概念、没有真善美的意识。
人类起源的观点与人类本质的观念是密不可分的。人从起初就偶自己的本性与本质，违反了必定会受到惩罚。在圣经中可以看到，人类本质问题与人类起源问题完全一致，人的本质与人的起源遥相呼应。因为人虽然按肉体说，是用地上的尘土造成，却领受了从天而来的生命气息，为上帝自己所造，所以人是一个特殊的存有，有自己的本性，人的本质就是展示出上帝的形象与样式。
（二）人的自由意志
上帝所造的人并非机器，也非单纯物质，而是有情感、有判断、有自由、有意志、有选择、有自由意志的人。所以，人有选择的权利、有不选择的权利、人是有理性、道德、责任、创造力的。
1、人是个别的
神是个别的，是独特的，是不可能与其他一样的，所以他所创造的人也是个别的，独特的，不一样的。每个人都有它特别的身份，每个人的人生观、价值观、世界观都有所不同，不管是对上帝、或者是对人、社会、自然，每个人的态度也不同，正如每个人的名字都不一样，人是特别的，也是个别的。
2、人是有理性的
人是有理性的，因为上帝是有理性和智慧的。人有动物的相似的本性，可是理性却把人区分开来。神有理性，所以他创造宇宙万物的时候才是有秩序、规则、方式的。人有理性，所以人会思考、会发现问题、解决问题、生存下来。
3、人是有灵性的
我们如要是从我们内里来看，就会意识到另一种存在，就是身体之外又在之内的灵性。神造我们的时候只有肉身不够，还将生气吹在我们鼻孔中，我们就成了有灵的活人，这是上帝的形象。人若只有物质的生命，有怎么能和灵界的存在相交呢？
4、人有责任、道德
人有人格，人就有自己生存、生活的目的，人有目的就必定会有自己的责任与道德。人并不是只求生存，而是有目的的生活。神造人是以神的形象，所以就给我们责任，人在内心深处都是有一处的空虚，在危机的时刻，总是会呼天抢地，人在内心深处有神的空处，人的良心也印证人要向神负责。人的责任感也是来自于人格。
道德是根基神的旨意，神已经赐给人有道德的判断力。道德是与责任相连的，一个负责的人，必定能做出有价值的判断。他就有良知与道德的原则。
5、人可以自由选择意志
人的自由选择首先就体现在人的自发性，神给人自由使人可以自由管理自己的生命。人的权能其实是反映神的权能。神与人分享自主权，神不会命令人，使人没有其他选择，而是给人自由选择的机会，因为人是人，人不是神在工厂里创造出的机械玩具，而是他给人内在的力量，是他所独自有的，亚当夏娃可以照着他给的自由，违背神的教导。人有自由选择做自己所喜欢的，但是却不可以逃避行为带来的后果。
人的自由选择意志是真正信仰的基础，也是社会关怀的根本，人的自发性人格的终极意义，就是他甘愿自己急切的寻求主、与神相交、建立最完满的关系。
6、人的内在潜能和创造力
人在过渡时期常常会有成长和改变，不难发现，别的动物都是已经完成的成品，他们具有一定的模子，是有限的个别性和潜能，可是人却在过程中一直成长，有荣耀，也有危害，因为人的潜能和创造力就决定人可以成为更好或者是更坏。
7、人灵魂的永久存在
神是永恒的，所以神所造的人的灵魂也是永恒的。神没有设计人死亡，也是生命。人是神的形象，既承受永生，身体死亡，但是灵魂却永存。圣经也告诉我们，身体与灵魂都有永恒的价值，原因就在于复活，就是当主再来的时候，身体就在属灵的意义上再一次活过来，与灵魂完全联合。
三、人工智能与人的自由意志
（一）人工智能体的属性根源于人类的自身认识
人工智能的创造起初点在于模拟人自身的一些机能，这就奠定了人工智能的发展方向。人对自己的如何认知，便会决定如何人工智能的更新内容。因为人对自己认识的局限，所以就决定人永远无法设计或创造出一个和人一样的人工智能载体。
以机器人为例，机器人的自主性的程度也取决于他与人类相似的程度，尤其是他在自由移动、回复指令、识别物体、理解人类语言和决策制定的方面，都能体现出与人类相似的程度，这些程度在学术领域也通常被为定义“人性”、“类人性”的元素。
所有的算法以及编程，都在使得人工智能可以无限靠近人类智慧，所以，人怎样定义自己，就怎样定义人工智能。
（二）计算机与人脑的不同
1.大脑的结构
人脑约有数以亿计的神经单元组成, 每个神经元由细胞体及突起两部分构成, 其中突起又分为树突和轴突, 一个神经元的轴突末梢和另一个神经元的树突或细胞体间的联结称为突触。信息的传送就是依托突触实现。
2.计算机的结构形式
目前通用的计算机的基本元件是半导体材料, 其动作速度较人脑快了很多，其系统结构仍然没有摆脱冯·诺依曼型的范畴，它由运算器、控制器、存储器和输入输出设备组成。
由此可以看出，神经元的电位脉冲传递速度比半导体元件的电磁传播速度慢数百万倍， 但是人却可以在几分之一秒的时间内对复杂的激励产生响应, 而计算机却达不到, 这是由于大脑是一个由巨量神经元连接形成的网络, 计算是建立在大规模并行计算基础之上, 这是传统计算机的串行处理方式所不可比拟的。所以二者在构造上，便有了很大的鸿沟。
（三）计算机算法与人脑思维的不同
与此同时，计算机的算法与人脑的思维是不同的。
人工智能的发展基础就是计算机算法。计算的数学模型是图灵机，算法是一组有穷的操作规则和特征，即：确定性：每一个步骤的结果都是确定的；可行性：每一个步骤可以在有限时间内完成；输入；输出；有穷性：在有限的步骤内停止。所以可以看出算法是规则集合的序列，是单一的，是形式系统的。
相比而言，人的思维方式可以分为社会思维、抽象思维、形象思维、灵感等多种方式，其中的抽象思维衍生出逻辑学，逻辑学中的数理逻辑就是把数学上的形式化运用到逻辑学，是用数学方法去研究演绎科学，就是计算机科学的基础，也是人工智能的基础。
思维是非语言性的，所以并不是所有的思维都可以用语言来表述，比如形象思维不考语言，而只是感知、意会、言传。而在计算机算法中，指存在A与非A，是形式的，是系统的，却不是可以表达非语言的内容。
所以，从算法到人的思维，是有很大的差距。一方面，计算机基于的数理逻辑系统只是人类思维中抽象思维中的一部分，另有更多思维方式是没有办法被计算机算法所描述。另一方面，形式化的思维体系没有包含抽象集合的概念，没有反映事物的能力。计算机算法与人类思维具有无法逾越的鸿沟。
（四）人工智能的自治能力
以机器人为例，当与自知能力联系或者与自治性联系时，需要关注直觉方面的一些能力。这些直觉就来来自人们对于要获得自主性的要求，希望自身可以有管理自己的法则，有自治力，并且能够自我管理。不难发现，绝大多数人希望有自主能力或自治能力，因为他们希望可以对自己的所作所为负责。
但目前以及未来的机器人，是不可能实现自我管理的能动者，也不可能为自己的行为负责，同时也缺少对自由意志的反思能力，而这个能力在对于能否负责以及能否对自我进行管理是至关重要的。
（五）人工智能不具备自由意志。
人工智能是指智力与能力，从创造力、适应力、常识等判断，是智力，而非自由意志。
以机器人为例，机器人的自主性与人类智能是不同的。当我们看到机器人可以有“情感、感知、分析、交流、计划、决策决定、行动以及目标的实现”，这些都是提前由设定编码与算法的人与机器人之间的交互机制所设定的，是由操控人员分配实施的。当有更加复杂的人机交互实现，就意味着算法的复杂程度加大。这也就是解释了计算机存在的创造力、智力、能力、适应力等等的智能表现背后都是有人的参与，人的选择，人的自由意志来决定，而非人工智能本身的自由意志。
（六）人工智能不具备自由意志
从基督教人论的角度来看，“自由意志”既是对上帝绝对主权的承认，也是人真正的责任与自由。奥古斯丁引用这个词，是为说明：
自然人有的自由，人做事不是出于必要，而是出于自由的选择。但是由于罪，人的自由意志被剥削，自由意志的能力被减弱，但却没有被消除和破坏，为了恢复人的自由意志，需要上帝的恩典的工作。
人的自由意志就带来人的自我意识，人的自我意识就带给人智慧、自由、选择权利等等，人是按神的形象所造，因为神的绝对的自耦，所以人是有自由的，只是因为人的罪，所以人的自由不是完整的，而是被玷污的，是有限制的。起初，善恶树的谜底就是人的自由与选择，神给予能力，却不给机会就是毫无作用的，所以神将树放在园子中，给人类的代表——亚当、夏娃，运用自由选择的自由，这样才是真正的人与人格。
上文的论述可以看到，不论是从人工智能的基础算法来讲，还是从人工智能的成品表象来讲，都不具备自由意志与自我意识。
四，结论
人工智能的快速发展使得我们生活更加便利与快捷，也使得人工智能与人越来越相似，但却在本质上是不同的。人是神按着自己的形象和样式所造，就说明人具备上帝给人的特性与本质。比如说人的个体性、理性、灵性、责任、道德、自发性、潜能、灵魂永久等等，虽然在某一个特殊的性质中，人工智能也可以实现，比如智能、能力、创造力、适应力、常识等可以与人相似，但终归都是在前期有自由意志的人所提前编好程序，罗列算法而得，终不属于人工智能的自由意志与自我意识。
另外，当我们比对完人工智能的计算机算法与人类智慧的思维区别以后，更加认识到人工智能无法满足人类非语言表达、形式上的研究等等。故此，我们认为人工智能具有智力与能力，但却不具备人的自由意志与自我意识。
5.ChatGPT…
音频 3 分钟
人工智能
2022年末，我们惊讶地发现，兴起于美国的智能机器人软件ChatGPT迅速爆火，短短两个月下载量超一亿，也迅速占据各大网站媒体的头条，并且用户惊呼：“太厉害了！”“一个颠覆性的新时代即将开始！”“狼来了”
ChatGPT不仅帮助89%美国大学生朋友写作业，甚至能写论文、编程、模仿杜甫写诗、还能绘画等，而人工智能的再学习、记忆、融合能力以及输出速度、不知疲倦等方面是人类所无法企及的。那么，前瞻性思考，人类全面失业的一个时代，真的要来了吗？
这世界会如《猿星崛起》等科幻片那样，人类被其他智能所控制、绑架并征服吗？我们基督徒当从圣经的角度，思考人工智能所不具备的、永远无法替代人类的是什么。
一、爱
保罗说：爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，爱是不自夸，不张狂，不做害羞的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易发怒，不计算人的恶，不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐；爱是永不止息。（林前13：4-8）但机器人什么也没有，它可以假装有，可以做出爱的举动，但本质上它只是一部高级计算机而已。人类的情感若投注到这人工智能上面，永远不会感到满足，得到温暖和安慰。
二、自由
耶稣在路加福音讲到一个浪子的故事，那个决定到远方去流浪的小儿子，在出走前父亲没有拦阻他，告诉他：“儿啊，你在犯一个大错误！”而是默默地为儿子祝福并给予他自由选择自己的人生。在小儿流落异乡，遭遇饥荒，放猪时恨不得吃猪食，饿得要死时，他醒悟过来：“我父亲有多少的雇工，口粮有余，我倒在这里饿死吗？我要起来，到我父亲那里去，向他说：父亲！我得罪了天，又得罪了你；从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子，把我当作一个雇工吧！”（路15：17-19）
当小儿子踏上回家归向父亲之路时，父亲以宽厚的胸怀，完全接纳了小儿子，因为一直爱着他的父亲认定小儿子是死而复活、失而又得的。
天父上帝爱我们的爱，亦是如此。他将分别善恶树置于伊甸园，以命令亚当遵守来验证亚当是否爱他，顺服神；上帝也借摩西颁赐十诫给以色列人，将生与福、死与祸两条路摆在以色列子民面前。但选择的权力，交给人，让人自由选择：是跟从神好，还是顺从肉体情欲、眼目情欲并今生的骄傲走自己的道路好。
可惜！以上的例子皆是失败的教训！
对比人类的自由，ChatGPT却完全没有自由意志。它背后有一个强大的创作团队，也有一套隐形的程序，算法，以此操纵、命令它如何圆滑地回答人类的问题，如何整合旧有信息、资源，照葫芦画瓢地模拟出各种“作品”。但这些作品再高级，ChatGPT再厉害，也画不出凡高用生命和情感创作的作品，也写不出杜甫“朱门酒肉臭，路有冻死骨”忧国忧民的诗句来，因为它只是一个工具，一部智能手机、一台高级电脑罢了。
人工智能是没有自由的高级仆人，它永远不可能背叛自己的程序、自己的创造者，也无法选择自己的道路。
三、灵魂
保罗说，我们若靠基督只在今生有指望，就算比众人更可怜。（林前15：19）
若死人不复活，我们就吃吃喝喝吧！因为明天要死了。（林前15：32）
圣经告诉我们，人人都有一死，死后且有审判，又让我们知道我们属主的人是有永生的，是在地上寄居的客旅，终将回到天父上帝为我们预备的永远的家。因此，我们奔跑，不像无定向的；斗拳，不像打空气的，我们是向着标竿直跑，奔那摆在我们前头的路程。
然而，ChatGPT无论有多么智能，发展到N代之后又是多么酷似人类的行为和模样，它终究是人手所造的一个工具，是一个好的仆人，又可能是一个坏的主子，甚至成为人类重建巴别塔的又一巅峰之作（整合人类的所有智能、技术、语言、大数据）但它终究是没有灵魂的，是只会做工的机器，甚至不能称它有生命。
没有生命的人工智能，更谈不上神圣的灵魂，不可能有人类内心深处各种圣洁、公义、仁爱、怜悯、慈悲、信实、良善、正直、敬畏.
这些神圣的情感，是人类所有高尚行为的动机和内驱力量，也是人类追随上帝的脚步，为他人利益而舍己牺牲，效法基督耶稣为拯救世人而甘愿被钉十字架的原动力。
然而，人工智能可谓是科技的顶尖力量，是划时代的一种变革，正如核武器，又像互联网令全球一体化，终将改变这个世界，ChatGPT只是一个工具，在不同的人手中，它能发挥不同的作用。
在大小学生手中，或许只是提供了抄作业的答案；在懒惰的文员手中，又成了完成繁琐而无意义工作的快速高效的秘书；在恶者的手中，则可能成为危害全球的诈骗、攻击、诱惑，散布邪恶有害信息的凶器。但在我们基督徒手中，我们当思想，它能为神国的建造、为福音的广传、为基督的大使命、为爱与和平；做些什么？如何来做？愿主赐我们智慧，使我们在新智能时代，抓住机遇，为主做工、荣耀主名。阿们。
恩典见证 33.属…
音频 7 分钟
属灵的秘诀——戴德生信心之旅 第三章
我觉得要去中国，就必须加强训练自己去倚靠信实的神。十九岁的戴德生，是个充满理想的急性子，一八五二年三月，他写信给他的妹妹说：“我想我快要离开这个国家了，我不知道神下一步的指示是什么，但我感觉到改变快将来临，有预兆叫我准备上路了。请为我祷告，叫我的信心不至失落.”对戴德生来说，在可见的未来加入差会事奉，简直是难若登天的事，因为所有的差会都要求宣教同工必先接受教会按立，并拥有优越的训练。
所以他打算赚够路费便出发前往中国去，到了那里再仰望神的供应。但想到要工作来储备路费，他就觉得不耐烦和难以接受，于是他继续在信内与妹妹分享另一个想法：“假如我在这里多逗留两年，储备五十至六十镑路费才往中国去，较比我现在就起程，边走边找路费是没有多大分别的。两年之内，那地至少有二百四十万人死亡……在六至八个月内，我应该会讲一点中国话了。
假如我可以把福音的真理传给一个沉沦的罪人 – 那么挨四至六个月的旅途之苦也在所不惜。”戴德生希望在船上找份医生助手之类的差事，假如不可能的话，当个水手也情愿。虽然他乐意忍受这样做所带来的困难与苦楚，但是家人友朋友的祷告和忠告，却使他考虑到要多吸收点知识才扬帆启程去到地球的另一边。赫迪医生愿意收纳戴德生作学徒，但却要他下三年学习的工夫。
戴德生当然想当医生，只是他觉得机会一旦来临他就必须立即动身，于是只得婉拒医生的一番好一意。不久，在戴德生二十岁生日后数个月，他就决定前往伦敦继续医学课程。他确信不需要在那里耽搁多久，就可以成行了。戴德生定意要在事奉中实践和巩固他的信心，所以对于筹措更多路费，接受更多知识，甚至操练更成熟的生命等，都不再重要了。
“我觉得要去中国，就必须加强训练自己去倚靠信实的神，而前面正好有一个黄金机会。“敬爱的父亲表示愿责承担我在伦敦的一切费用；但他的生意最近出现亏蚀，要助我成行就免不了要作出重大的牺牲。我最近开始和中国传道会的委员熟稔.他们并不知道父亲的打算，且都表示乐意承担我在伦敦的一切支出。当我收到这两个建议时，一时不知所措，我写信给家父和委员会的秘书，告诉他们我需要数日的时间来祷告和考虑，又把他们的建议告诉双方。
“最后，经过祷告，在主的引领下，我清楚知道二者的好意我都不应接受。传道会的秘书固然不知道我已决定全然仰赖神的供应，而家父亦会以为我已接受了对方的帮助。我写信推辞了两者的好意。我知道再没有人会为我的需要操心，我是单单把自己交在神的手里，他知道我的心。假若神要鼓励我前往中国，他必会让我先在英国有能力全然倚靠他。
”在伦敦医院就读的学费，戴德生接受了传道会的支助；居住方面，在未找到长期住所之前，他是寄住在苏豪区一位舅父的家里。除了这两方面之外，这位来自小镇的年轻人，便要自行应付在繁华的伦敦生活的一切开支了。临离开荷尔之前，他写信给母亲说：“我可以见证以下的金句是真确无误的：‘坚心倚赖他的，你必保守他十分平安，因为他倚靠他。
’我的心绪一片平和，就像口袋里有一千镑一样那般无忧无虑。愿神保守我在世俗和属灵的一切事上，都坚心仰望他的供应。”他写信给妹妹贺美，告知她找寻工作的事宜，他需要一份既能帮补生活费，又能让他有时间读书的工作。“在伦敦并没有什么合适的工作，不过我一点也不着急，因为他是‘昨日、今日、直到永远也不改变的神。’他的慈爱不会断绝，他的话永不改变，他的能力依然；凡倚靠他的必‘十分平安’：我意识到他是因着爱来坚固我的信心。愿他得荣曜，我便心满意足。”戴德生觉得假若他真有一天信心倒退的话，他宁愿发生在英国，比在去了中国才知道要好得多。
于是他继续操练自己的信心。他生活简朴，单一仰赖神的供应。他曾经在信中提到：“为了节省支出，我和表兄分租一间房间。我们住的地方距离医院大概四里，伙食是自行负责的。经过多方面研究，我发觉最经济的生活方式，莫如单以粗麦面包和清水充饥。这样，我就可以把神供应我的尽量用得长久一点。有些支出是在所难免的，不过膳费就完全在我掌握之中。
每天从医院步行回家，在路上买个两便士的大麦面包，就能解决我的早晚两餐了，中午吃两三个苹果，这样的饮食，足能供应我每天走八九里路，和在医院实习时频密来往的气力。”随后几个月，戴德生的忍耐力再受考验。虽然他在求学，他仍不断地祷告，求神打开通往中国之门。
而在此期间，他曾因为解剖尸体染上恶性热病，差点死去。不过在地球另一端发生的事，不但要改写中国历史，也使戴德生长久以来的梦想一下子成为现实。在中国，太平天国的起义似乎胜券在握，他们定都南京，而挂着基督徒名义的军队就占据了中原及北方大部分的省分，北京似乎快落入义军手中。
太平天国的首领洪秀全因为读过一份基督教单张，对基督教信仰深感钦羡，于是写信给一位美国宣教士，其大意是：“请差派教师来，要许许多多的教师来传播真理。当我的事业成功结束时，我会在全国传播神的教义，让所有的人可以归向主并敬拜独一的真神。这是我心所切慕的。”此时，一向闭关自守的中国似乎快将大开中门，准备迎接基督的使者。
全欧州以及北美的教会都为此雀跃不已，认为此机会实在难能可贵，不容有失。为此，奉献源源滚进各宣教机构的仓库，支持各种有关中国的计划。例如，英国圣经公会就史无前例地打算印制一百万本中文新约圣经。
那为戴德生缴付学费的传道会更决定在最短时间内，差派两位宣教士前往上海，这两人之中的一位是苏格兰裔的外科医生，因为他不能立刻启程的缘故，传道会便想到戴德生是个单身汉，只有廿一岁，传道会认为他大有可能立赴行程，虽然这意味着地要牺牲正在修读的内外科医学课程。戴德生虽然等得不耐烦，且急于上路，但要接受传道会的差派却是一项不容易作的决定。
他过去早有和中国传道会打交道的经历，深知他们的处事作风，他知道作为该会的宣教士，就得凡事向差会报告及请示不可。他们的意愿是差派他往上海，假若神开路给他深入中国内地那又如何呢？他开始觉得神是呼召他前往中国内地，那些西方宣教士从未踏足过的地方。
现今太平天国似乎是在得势之时，大好机会或许就在此时了。他开始回溯原先自行前往中国的打算，或许这计划是最为上算的一个，他别无其它倚赖，唯有靠神而已。他为此事征询家人及朋友的一意见，又请他们为他代祷。但在见过传道会其中一位秘书之后，他写信给母亲说：“毕先生为我解决了大部分的疑难，我决定依从他的建议，立刻向委员会自荐。我仍在期待你为我祷告，并等候你的答复。假如我接受差派立到启程，你是否建议我先回家一趟呢？我盼望能再与你见面，相信你也会有些同感。不过我们不见面也是好的，因为相见然后再永远分离是最难过的事。
噢，不会是永远分离吧！”“我不能再写下去了，希望你尽快给我回音。请多为我祷告。凡事交托主，说来容易，但到考验来到时！只有我们在‘他里面成全完备’，我们才可以安然度遇。愿神祝福你并与你同在，我亲爱的母亲，愿神让你体会主耶稣的宝贵，使你除了立志‘认识他’之外，别无所求.”他写给妹妹的信是这样的：“为我祷告，亲爱的贺美，愿那应许使我们一切所需用的都充足的神，在这痛苦边长等待的日子能与我同在。”戴德生终于作了决定：他要启程前往中国了。他买了最快启航的船票。
在利物浦的远洋船码头，停泊着那艘准备开往中国的双桅船“敦费土号”。这艘四百七十吨的小船只有一位乘客，故此码头上并没有送别的人群。传道会的代表皮尔土（Pearse）先生和戴德生的父亲都来到利物浦送别，不过船因为修理要延迟开航，故此他们都不作久留便离开了，就只留下戴德生的母亲一人看他启程。对于那次既兴奋又令人难过的经历，戴德生后来作了如下的笔记：“在一八五三年九月十九日当天，在‘敦费七号’的船尾舱内，中国传道会的委员们特别为我举行了一个简单的差派聚会。
“我挚爱的母亲（如今已安返天家）来到利物浦和我话别。我永不会忘记那一天，也忘不了她是如何随我进入那末来六个月将作为我家的小舱房内。母亲用她慈爱的手整理我的床铺，然后坐在我的身旁，同唱我们分别前最后的一首诗歌。我们跪下，母亲就开口祷告，那是我远赴中国前，最后听见母亲为孩子的祷告。接着有通知下来，船快启航，我们得分手了。我们依依惜别，不敢奢望在世上能再相见。“为了叫我好受一点，她尽量压抑自己的情绪。
我们分手了，她走上岸，回头给我祝福。我独自站在甲板上，她则随着船往前走，走向水闸的方向。船经过了水闸，这刻我们真的要分离了。母亲那发自心底，带着绞痛的哭唤声，像刀一般刺透了我，这是我永远不能忘怀的。此刻，我才深切体会到‘神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们’的意义。而我亦相信挚爱的母亲，她此际对神无比的爱的了解，会比她过去所领会的更多！
”离别无疑是令人难过痛楚，但戴德生环绕地球之旅所要面对的种种苦难，现在才正式开始。这艘小船还未到公海，它的航程就有被中断的危险。十二昼夜，达姆福利斯号都在圣乔治海峡被暴风击打，有时荡向爱尔兰方向，有时又荡向险恶的威尔斯海岸。戴德生如此记载他的旅程：“星期六（九月二十四日）整天，气压计在不断下降。夜幕低垂时，风又急转起来。星期天早上，船长并没有像往常一样召集水手们在船尾听他读祷文，因为他们昨晚都辛苦了一夜。
午后，风益发吹得急劲，除了留下几张帆用来平衡外，所有帆都收下了。我发单张给船员之后就回到船舱，船颠簸得实在太厉害了，我晕眩起来.“气压计仍在下降，强风不断加剧渐变成飓风。船长和大副都说从未见过这样的滔天巨浪。下午两三点钟左右，我勉强走上甲板.此情此景真是令人毕生难忘。只见巨浪翻腾，海面吐着白沫，一艘大船紧贴着我们的船尾，另一艘双桅船则在我们受风的一面。大船追上来了，不过却漂离我们旁边更远点。排山倒海的大浪击打着船身，大有随时随刻吞噬我们之势；小船顽强地捱着风浪。因为风顶既急且猛，我们的船非但没有向前进，反而随着从西面吹来的风荡向海岸。“‘除非神帮助我们，’船长说：‘否则我们没有希望了。’”“我问他那里离威尔斯海岸有多远。“‘大概十五至十六里，’他回答。‘我们除了扬起所有船帆之外就别无他法。
愈多帆张开，我们漂流的速度就不会那么厉害。这是生死关头，求神叫那些桅杆能支持得住。”“他在每枝桅上张起两张帆。”“那是一段恐怖的时刻。风吹得厉害极了，我们的船被浪推得东摇西倒，一会儿升上半空去，一会儿又像钻进海的深渊。船受风的一面翘得高高的，而下风的一面则倾斜得很低；事实上，海水不断从下风的一面灌进船舱。我呆望着西沉的落日，心想：‘明天你还是一样的升起来，至于我们，除非神为我们成就大事，否则我们和这条船可能只会剩下碎片残桅了’夜非常的冷，风是凛冽的，我们继续向前进；翻滚的浪涛把我们打得浑身握透。
我走回船舱，读过一两首诗歌，几篇诗篇和约翰福音十三至十五一后，心里好过多了，于是倒头便睡。睡了一个小时，起来看看气压计，发觉它正在上升。我们经过了百土岛的灯塔，这岛是在嘉迪根和嘉拿温湾中间的海上。我问船长，我们会不会触着圣头角的礁石。他回答说：‘假如我们的船不改变方向还可以，但船若再漂流，便要倚靠神的保守了。’我们的船随浪漂流 – 先是圣头角的灯塔在我们船头出现，其后是在船侧擦过。我们的命运似乎已经决定了。我问船长我们是否只剩下两个小时的时间，船长不置可否。气压计依然在上升，但升的速度太慢了，我们根本不可能有希望。我想到我挚爱的双亲，我的妹妹和朋友们……眼泪开始滚下……船长既勇敢又镇定，他相信他的灵魂是在主手中。
管炊事的也说自己是无足轻重的，只有主是掌管万有的。我为他们的信心感谢神，与此同时，我也恳切求神因着那些还未认识他的水手，搭救我们；他要如此行也是为了她自己的荣擢，因他是垂听祷告的神。我想起圣经的话：‘要在患难之日求告我，我必搭救你。你也要荣曜我。’我恳切求神实践他的应许.”“我们的处境着实岌岌可危。那晚月光皎洁，夜空清朗，海岸清楚可见。我走回船舱内。气压计持续上升，但风势却依然没有减弱。我拿出我的记事簿，写上名字和地址，心想假若我的尸体被冲上陆地，就会有人知道我是谁。我把几件应用之物放进一个篮子，要是它如我所想会浮的话，也许它能助我或其它人登陆。最后，我将自己的灵魂交在神手里，又求神记念眷顾我所有的亲戚朋友。
我求神假若可以的话，就叫这苦杯远离我们。祷告完毕，我返回甲板。撒但攻击我，我感到很害怕。但主再一次安静我的心。从那刻起，我坚决倚靠主，主就赐我平静安稳的心。我问船长，在这大风浪之中，救生艇有用么？他的答案是否定的。至于用桅杆之类的木材做木筏，亦已来不及了。海水变白了，海岸就在前头.‘我们一定要将船改变方向，’船长说，‘否则一切都完了。船转向时，海水可能会把甲板上所有的东西都冲落大海……不过我们仍得试试……’这一刻就算是最坚毅不屈的心也会战抖惶恐。船长一发命令，我们就把船往外转，但却徒劳无功。这样做理应为我们添加离岸的距离。
船长又再发号令把船转往另一方向，靠着神的祝福，这次我们成功了，我们已驶离岸边的礁石堆，大约有两艘船身之遥。就在我们刚脱险之际，风向又稍转了两度，因此我们终于可以成功地驶出嘉拿温湾了。假若主不如此帮助我们，我们所有的力气也是白费的。他的怜悯无穷无尽。”戴德生的记事簿写满了他这次旅程的有趣经历。他的航程除了间中有些令人兴奋的时刻外，大部分都是较为沉闷的，因为他们足足有二十三个星期连续没有踏足陆地。戴德生大部分的时间都在船舱内读书，装备自己。他亦曾为水手们举行过六十次的宗教聚会，有些对他所讲的甚感兴趣，还私下找他倾谈和祷告。不过令他有点儿失望的是，那些水手并没有太大的生命改变，而且也没有人愿意完全献身跟随主。航程中最令人鼓舞，又是最厉害的考验首推他们在南太平洋经过无风地带的那段日子。
从早到晚船都滞留不动，从黄昏至日出那一段时间，才稍为有点晚风来帮助航行。戴德生这样记载那段日子：“在这艘帆船上，面对四野无风，而船却随着急流朝着险恶的涯岸飘去，令人感到多么的无助。在暴风雨之中，船多少还可以受控制，但在无风的时刻，人只有空焦急的份儿。主一定要施展大能。当我们大约在新几内亚北边航行的时候，我们就曾经历过一次危难。
那个星期六晚上，我们大概离陆地有三十里，星期天早上在甲板崇拜时，我就发觉船长面带忧戚，不时走往船边张望。崇拜完毕，我从他口中知道了原因：船正被一股时速四海里的水流带向一处暗礁。我们是那么接近，未到黄昏恐怕就要触礁了。午饭后，放下了大舢舨，船上所有的人同心协力，想把船头转向，驶离岸边，可是却徒劳无功。大家安静站在甲板上一段时间之后，船长对我说：‘我们可以做的全都做了，现在只有听天由命了’一个思想突然掠过我的心头，我回答说：‘有一件事我们还没有做。’‘是什么？’他问道。‘我们当中有四个人是基督徒。让我们各人返回自己的船舱，同心求主立刻赐给我们清风。对他来说，现在起风或黄昏时才送风都是一样的容易。’船长同一意这个提议，我就去找其余两人。我们一起祷告之后，四人就各自退回船舱等候神。
作过一个简短而深入的祷告后，我深觉神已应允了我们所求的，自知不能再祈求下去，于是很快就重回甲板。这时候负责指挥的是船上的大副，他是个不信神的人。我走过去请他把横帆的下角或者是主帆的一角放下来；这些帆本来都开了上去，好减少帆与绳索互相拍打。‘那有什么好处？’他粗鲁地问我。我告诉他我们已向神求风，风立刻就要来了，而且我们已是那么靠近礁石，实在不可以再耽误。”“他一脸鄙视，咒骂了一声，说他要看见风而非听见风。他说话的时候，我随着他的视线，往上望向船桅上最高的小帆，可以肯定，帆已开始在微风中颤动。‘风不是来了吗？看那小帆！’我喊着说。‘才不是呢，那只是锚爪（一闪而逝的微风）而已。
’他一再坚持。‘不管是不是锚爪也好，’我大嚷：‘求你快放下主帆，好叫我们可以利用到这些风！’他可没有耽延立刻做了。不一会，船长听见甲板上的人声，就从船仓内走出来看个究竟。风果真来了！不到几分种，我们已是以每小时六、七海里的速度，破浪前进；虽然风势或起或止，但在经过比鲁岛屿前，断断续续还是有风。在抵达中国之前，神藉此鼓励我，叫我将一切的需要带到他跟前，并且信赖他必因主耶稣之名的缘故，作我随时紧急的援手。”他不久就要再次接受类似的考验。
Testimony…
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I poured out my heart to God, and I kept giving thanks to God for all He had done for me, and I begged Him to let me work for Him as a token of my love and gratitude.
Hudson Taylor didn’t look like a genius kid at all. Hudson Taylor, who was frail and sickly, had to take at least one day of sick leave for almost a week. Although his father was trained as a pharmacist and sent his son to school when he was eleven years old, his reading skills improved rapidly, and he excelled in mathematics. After two years of formal education, he dropped out of school to help out in his father’s shop in Banschney, Yorkshire.
He was born in 1832 to devout Christian parents. From an early age, he was familiar with the Gospel story, and he knew that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, came to earth and died on the cross to save the world’s sins. As a young man, he accepted everything his parents had taught him with childlike faith because it was what they believed. As a teenager, he began to question the authenticity of the Bible. At the age of fifteen, he worked as a clerk in a local bank and first came into contact with older friends who were skeptical of their faith. Their views influenced him, and he rejected the Christian faith and the teachings of his parents.
Hudson Taylor had to give up his profession as an accountant and return to work in his father’s shop because he was overusing his eyes. But his skepticism about Christianity continued. On the surface, he is very conformist, but his inner spiritual struggle cannot be hidden from his parents, and they are really worried about their children. It wasn’t until he was seventeen years old that things changed. He later wrote: “It was a day I will never forget—my mother was out to visit relatives, and I had a day off and went to my father’s study to find a book to read to pass the boring afternoon.” But there were no books that appealed to me, so I picked up an interesting gospel tract from a basket of booklets. I said to myself, ‘It must be another tract that starts with a story and ends with a sermon.’ I’ll only read the part of the story, and I’ll leave the rest to those who are interested!’ I sat down and read nonchalantly, thinking that even if there was salvation, it had nothing to do with me. If you start to feel bored, put it aside immediately. At that time, repentance was always called an act of “getting serious,” but in fact, it was a very “serious” thing to look at from the faces of those who claimed to have repented and converted.
Wouldn’t it be better if God’s children could always show saving joy and blessings on their faces, and those who don’t believe would see repentance as something “very joyful” rather than “serious”? After lunch that day, she hoped that her son’s desire to be saved was close to her heart, and she thought that she would have more time that day, and she would take this opportunity to plead with God for her son’s salvation. She went back to her room, locked the door, and decided that God would answer her plea before she stepped out of the room again.
Hour by hour, my mother prayed to God on my behalf, and at the end of the day, she could no longer pray and felt that she had to praise God because the Holy Spirit had told her that her only beloved son had been saved. At the same time, God was directing me to read the Gospel book. As I was reading, a sentence suddenly struck me: ‘The work of Christ.’ Suddenly, the words ‘all is done’ pass through my mind. ‘What has been done?’ I gladly replied, ‘That salvation has been accomplished, and our sins have been paid.’
That is not only our sin but the sin of the whole world. Then I thought, ‘If all the work is done.’ Now that all the debts of sin have been paid off, what else can I do?’ The joy of regeneration came to me at that moment, and the light of the Holy Spirit illuminated my heart. What else could I do in this world but to fall before the Savior and accept Him and His salvation, two weeks later, Mother returned. I was the first to greet her at the gate, and I told her the great news that I had been saved. My mother took me into her arms and said, ‘I see, my son. I’ve been excited about your good news for two weeks.'”
She told me about her prayer experience that day. I’m sure you agree, but it’s strange if I don’t believe in the power of prayer because of that. It’s not over yet. Soon after, I picked up a notebook that I thought was my own, and what caught my eye was the diary of my sister, who was four years younger than me, to the effect that she was determined to pray for me every day until God promised to redeem me. A month after the journal was written, the Lord took me out of the darkness and into the light.
Growing up in such an environment and being saved in such a situation, it was only natural that from the moment I received the life of Christ, I realized that God’s promises were very real, and that prayer was a fulfilling fellowship with God, asking for His blessings for myself and others. He didn’t become as “serious” as the average Christian, because he didn’t feel it appealing at all, and Hudson didn’t take his faith lightly. Although he was susceptible to temptation and stumbling and frustrated by his weakness, like most new believers, he was not satisfied with this up-and-down spiritual life. He longed for a better, more intimate relationship with God.
One afternoon, he began to pray to God about it: “I vividly remember how I poured out my heart to God with joy and joy, and I kept giving thanks to God for all that He had done for me, and for saving me when I gave up all hope and even hope of salvation. I begged Him to let me work for Him as an expression of my love and gratitude for it—I distinctly remember that as I laid myself, my life, my friends, and everything on the altar, the depths of my soul were enveloped by a sense of solemnity that I knew was acceptable to my devotion.
God’s presence also became completely real and blessed, and I remember – I fell on my face, stretched out, and lay before Him, my heart overflowing with indescribable awe and joy. I don’t know what my job position will be. Hudson Taylor had given his life to God, and he was determined to live a life that was pleasing to God in every way, but he also cried out to God from time to time for his failures and setbacks, knowing that I was no longer mine. He believed that as long as God gave him a clear direction, he would go to the ends of the earth for him, do anything, even bear suffering. “The feeling of that time is really beyond the description of pen and ink, and it is also unforgettable for my life. I felt like I was standing before God, making a covenant with the Lord Almighty.
I wanted to take back my promise, but I couldn’t, and it was as if a voice was saying to me, ‘Your prayer has been answered; From that moment on, I was convinced that God had called me to China, and I would no longer doubt it. Hudson Taylor knew God’s call and responded positively. From that day on, he worked hard to prepare himself for a hard life. He increased his outdoor activities, replaced his feather mattress pads with stiff and taut mattresses, and was very careful about his diet.
He was supposed to go to church twice on Sunday, but he gave up the evening meetings and went to the slums of the city to hand out tracts and hold family meetings. He was a popular frequent visitor to the rows of houses. Even on the horse farm, his radiant face, coupled with a cordial greeting, often opened the door to evangelism for him. The more he shared God’s Word with others, the more he felt he needed to know more, and he spent more time praying and studying the Bible. Of course, if he wants to go to China, he must learn Chinese.
A rare Chinese grammar book already costs 20 yuan, and a Chinese-English dictionary costs more than 25 yuan. He couldn’t afford it, so he relented and bought a copy of the Chinese translation of the Gospel of Luke. He patiently compared verses with the English Bible and learned more than 600 new Chinese characters. He memorized these words and compiled a dictionary. “I started waking up at 5 a.m. every morning, so I found myself going to bed earlier. If I want to go to China, I have to study hard.
I’ve made up my mind to go, so I’m going to try to equip myself now. I plan to do Latin well and learn the basics of Greek and Hebrew grammar. I want to gather more information. I need your intercession. Following his father in dispensing medicine to patients for many years, Hudson Taylor became interested in medicine. When he heard that a surgeon practicing medicine in Hall needed an assistant, he wrote to apply and was hired. Although this means that he will be living alone from the nest, he will still have some time to live with an aunt who lives in the city and enjoy family fun.
Hudson Taylor’s employer, the doctor, paid him only enough to cover his daily expenses. In addition to tithing, the young assistant went to the slums of the city every Sunday night to do gospel work. Seeing the hardships of those families prompted him to reevaluate his lifestyle. Would it make him happier if he could save more and help more others? He decided to find out with action.
On the outskirts of the city, passing through a wasteland, two rows of simple bungalows bordered by a narrow waterway. People in the neighborhood call this place “Ditch Side”. This waterway is just a deep ditch, and the people who live on both sides of the ditch send their filth and garbage into the river to let the tide carry it away. The bungalows were about half a mile long around a large curved ditch, and each house was the same, with a gate and two windows. Hudson Taylor decided to say goodbye to his aunt’s comfortable home and rent a small room here to live. The landlady, Mrs. Chiji, was a devout Christian, and she welcomed the “young doctor” Finch very well. She did everything she could to clean the house and polish the fire facing the window. The bed was in the farthest corner from the door, and with a wooden table and two chairs, it was Hudson Taylor’s new home.
This twelve-foot square room is on the first floor and is connected to the kitchen. The only window in the room reveals the brightly lit bar on the other side of the gutter. In the night, the lights illuminated the muddy water in the canal. Hudson Taylor moved here, and in addition to adapting to the gloomy environment, he also had to cook for himself. Every day after work from the infirmary, he would buy a little food to satisfy his hunger. He rarely sits down for a decent dinner anymore. On weekdays, he goes home alone and spends every night alone. But on Sundays, he was too busy to mingle with his neighbors or work among the crowds that often hang out around the Kemba Pier. “Now I have two goals in life, on the one hand, to get myself used to living a hard life, and on the other hand, to save money so that I can help those who preach the gospel. Soon I got used to a more austere life than before, and I stopped eating butter, milk, and other luxuries.
My main food is cereal and rice, with the occasional addition of something to change the taste. So that I can live very frugally. I save two-thirds of my salary for other purposes. Experience has taught me that the less money I spend on myself, the more people I can help, and the more music and blessings I have in my soul. “After living by the ditch for some time, he made a deeply painful sacrifice because of the needs of China.
For more than two years, he became acquainted with the teachers at his sister Homei’s school, who was both beautiful and talented, and Hudson Taylor unconsciously fell in love with her. This girl is a Christian and has no missionary burden. They had talked about his plans several times. But each time she asked him to stay in England and serve God, and not to go to China.
Hudson Taylor knew very well that it was God’s calling, but he also loved him dearly, and since she did not explicitly say that he would not follow him to China, he continued to pray that God would move her. A few weeks after he had moved to the ditch, he received the heartbroken letter, which was the last decision of the other party—she would not go to China! He wrote to his sister Kami: “For many days I was depressed and depressed, and I seemed to have no power to pray, and I did not want to pray. I took the blow on my own and didn’t ask God for help until I couldn’t sustain it anymore. Temptations began to surround him, “Why are you going to China, why are you going to spend your whole life toiling and suffering just for a service ideal? Just like everyone else, find a job and stay in your hometown to serve the Lord. You still have a chance to keep her. “Love is hard to beat. “That afternoon, as I sat alone in the operating room, I began to think about God’s love, His goodness, my response, and His blessings to me,” he told his sister.
The trials I faced were nothing compared to what happened to others who were called. God has completely softened me and humbled me. His love melted my cold heart, and I prayed earnestly for His forgiveness for my ungrateful behavior, and God’s love surrounded me once more. Yes, he humbled me and made me know myself. He let me know that he is my help and my trust in times of trouble. Neither did he deprive me of my joy amid my trials, that I might sing with joy: But I will rejoice in the Savior, and I will rejoice in the salvation of God” “Now I am very satisfied in the Savior’s love. I can give him gratitude for everything, including the most painful experiences of the past, and I can trust him completely for what will happen in the future. ”
“I said to myself, ‘When I set foot in China, I can’t ask anybody for anything, I can only ask God. So before I left England, I first had to learn to do things by praying alone, by moving people through God. I never made any sacrifices. This is what Hudson Taylor said in his later years, looking back on his past life. But in the eyes of other objective people, his life is a portrait of self-sacrifice. Dai said this because experience had taught him that no matter what sacrifice he made for God, he would always be richly rewarded. This lifelong lesson began with some profound experiences on the banks of the ditch that winter. No matter how great his sacrifice was, the reward he received always far outweighed the price he paid. Despite the trauma of a broken love and the poor environment in which he lived, his spiritual life was thriving.
“Every day, from morning till night, I experience indescribable joy,” he said. God is so real and gracious to me that all I do is serve music. Even though the tone and content of the letter changed, there was less self-examination and more focus on plans. Once again, China is full of his thoughts. He has a deeper burden for the souls of those who do not know Christ. Despite his full and positive attitude, his mother was worried about her son’s health and living conditions. Especially when she learned from other people that her son was pale and thin, she wrote to him concerned about his health. In January, he wrote back to his mother: “I’m sorry for making you worry about me. It may have been that I was wearing a wider coat, and when everyone saw it, they said, ‘Look how emaciated and thin you are!'” He reassured his mother that his cold had long since healed and that he was now full of energy and knew how to take care of himself.
Her mother was not relieved by his reply. She was also worried about the hardships he would face as he planned to go on a mission trip to China. He wrote again in an attempt to assuage his mother’s anxieties about his present and future: “Dear mother, do not let anything disturb your sleep. Missionary work is the noblest profession of mankind. Of course, we cannot neglect our basic needs, but can we not rejoice and be happy when we can give up everything for the Lord?” “As for my body, I believe that now is the most robust time of my life.
The wind here is really strong, but I often wrap myself tightly, and the cold weather makes my appetite great, and if I make myself sick, it will hurt my finances, so I try to choose those simple but nutritious foods, and avoid luxuries.” I found biscuits that were as cheap as bread, one for eighteen pence, and tastier than bread. I had biscuits, fresh fish, and coffee for breakfast. Fresh fish is cheaper than butter, and three tails are only one penny, and half a bar for breakfast is enough. My lunch was prunes with apple filling. Prunes cost only two to three pence a pound, while apples cost ten pence a bag. I bought four and a half pennies a pound of sugar and crushed them, which was cheaper than regular jaggery. Sometimes I bake potatoes and animal tongues, which are as cheap as other meats. Afternoon tea is biscuits and apples. I don’t eat dinner very often, so I occasionally eat cookies and apples, and sometimes I eat corn pudding, beans, or fish. If I had been more careful, I could have bought cheese for four to sixpence a pound, which was better than the eightpence a pound we used to eat at home.
Lettuce and lettuce are available at the market, and it won’t be long before I can change the menu. I pickled a penny of red cabbage in three-and-a-halfpence vinegar with a large bottle full of it. You see, I don’t have much to do, and I can have basic enjoyment. In addition, I have a home that is always available for my needs, and a God who gives peace beyond all means, and if I am not satisfied and unhappy, then I deserve to live in misery and misery. “Dear Mom, please keep praying for me. Although I am well-fed, happy, and thankful, I need your prayers for me. Mom, how can I make you understand how much I desire to be a missionary, to bring good tidings to poor and dying sinners? Pray that the Lord will use me and that I will do my best for the Lord who died on my behalf! Mother, just imagine, that there are 12 million people—what a huge number, how unimaginable yes, there are more than 12 million souls in China every year, walking towards perdition without God and hope. Let us look with compassion for the needs of these great people!
Since God has mercy on us, we should also be sympathetic to His heart: “I will put my pen down.” Will you give everything for the Lord Jesus, who died for you? Mom, I know you do. May God be with you and comfort you. When I have enough money to go, can I leave immediately? I feel that if I don’t do something for China, I won’t be able to live any longer. Although Hudson Taylor was eager to leave for the East immediately, he was not entirely sure that he was ready for the challenge. In his small room by the ditch that winter, he wrote more: “For me, going to China is a great thing.
There you will be far away from the help of your relatives and friends, and you will only be protected, provided, and helped by the living God. To take on this challenge, it is necessary to first strengthen one’s spiritual discipline. Of course, if a person’s faith is firm, God will never be unfaithful. But what if I don’t have faith, I didn’t yet grasp the truth that even if we are untrustworthy, he is still trustworthy because he cannot betray himself.
So, my biggest problem was not God’s faithfulness, but my faith enough to ensure that I could carry out the daunting task that lay ahead of me. “I said to myself, ‘When I set foot in China, I can’t ask anybody for anything, I can only ask God. So before I left England, I first had to learn to do things by praying alone, and by moving people through God. Hudson Taylor believed that the Bible says: Faith can move mountains. He wondered if he was confident enough to practice it. If faith needs to grow, it must be practiced. Here’s what he’s going to do. “Before leaving England, learn to move people through prayer and God. “That’s what he set for him. Soon, he discovered a simple and practical way to practice the work of faith. He wrote it down: “My kind employer, Dr. Heddy, wanted me to remind him to pay me my salary on time, so I decided to pray alone, asking God to remind him, so that I could experience the encouragement of prayer answered. “Once, as the day of quarterly payroll was approaching, I prayed earnestly about it as usual. But when the day came, Dr. Hedy didn’t mention the payroll, and I just kept praying. After many days, he still didn’t pay attention to it. It wasn’t until Saturday night that I sat down to count my accounts for the week, and found that there was only one shilling and sixpence coin left.
But I continued to pray and wait. “I felt very happy that Sunday. My heart is still filled with blessed joy. After attending Sunday worship in the morning, he went to the town’s slums in the afternoon and evening to conduct interviews and evangelism. During those days, I had the feeling of living in heaven, and for me, heaven was a place where human joy could be more satisfying, and now I have almost that. “About ten o’clock that night, after I was leading the meeting, a poor man came up and asked me to come to his house and pray for his dying wife. I readily agreed.
On the way, I asked him why he didn’t go to the priest because he spoke with an Irish accent. He said he had been, but the priest would not go until he paid eighteen pence. And his family was starving, so what money was left? Suddenly, I remembered all my possessions, my only coin. Although I have prepared oatmeal for tonight and tomorrow morning, what about tomorrow’s lunch?” Instead of blaming myself, I blamed the man for why he had gotten things to this point, and why he hadn’t asked the welfare officer for help earlier.
He told me that he had passed the application a long time ago, but that the welfare officer had told him to go again at eleven o’clock tomorrow, but that his wife would not live until tomorrow!” ‘Ah!’ I thought to myself: ‘If I had not this two and a half shillings, but two one-and-a-half shillings and a six-pound coin, how glad I would have been to give the family a shilling!’
The truth is very simple, I believe in God and I believe in a shilling and sixpence, but I dare not trust God alone and empty pockets. “The man led me into a courtyard, and I followed with a slight panic, because the last time I came, the people there had been very unkind to me. Walking up a dilapidated staircase, we entered a small, dilapidated room. What catches your eye is poignant. Four or five yellow-skinned children were scattered around the house, apparently the result of a long period of starvation. On the tattered bed lay their weak mother, next to a baby who was thirty-six hours old, crying faintly. “‘Ah!’ I thought, ‘If I had two shillings and a sixpence, I would be more than happy to give them a shilling sixpence.’ But the abominable unbelief hindered my urge to give them all I had.
Of course, I can’t comfort this poor man, and it’s not surprising at all, because I need comfort myself. I began to tell them not to be depressed by the current situation anyway because we have a loving Heavenly Father in heaven. But now my heart was crying out, ‘You hypocrite!’ I told these unbelievers that there is a loving Father in Heaven, but my heart refused to trust Him because I didn’t have a coin!'” My throat almost stopped. If I had a two-shilling coin and a sixpence penny, I would be more than willing to compromise with my conscience, and give them the two shillings with gratitude, and keep the sixpence. I still haven’t been able to let go of the sixpence and trust God alone. Since there is nothing to say in this environment, there should be no difficulty in praying.
In those days, prayer was the most pleasant thing, and I could talk to God in prayer. At that moment I thought I had to kneel and pray so that I and the family could be set free. “‘Ask me to come and pray for your wife,’ I said to the man, ‘Let us pray together, and I knelt.’ “When I opened my mouth and said, ‘Our Father in heaven,’ and my conscience said, ‘How dare you mock God?’ How dare you kneel down and call Him ‘Father’ while keeping the coin in your pocket?’ I have never experienced this inner conflict. I can’t remember if my prayer was incoherent or how it ended, but when I stood up, my heart was in agony. “The poor father said to me, ‘Sir, you have seen our desolate condition, and if it is possible, help us for God’s sake.'” At that moment a phrase flashed through my mind: ‘Give them those who ask him.'” The word of the Lord carries power. I put my hand in my pocket and slowly pulled out the coin and handed it to the man. I told him that maybe he would think I was just doing it because I seemed to be much more generous than they were, and that I had the only money I had. But what I told them earlier is true, and God is our trusting Father.
At this moment, joy is pouring over my heart. I was able to speak with my heart and mouth again, and the obstacle that hindered my blessing was gone, and the obstacle that made my faith almost lost. “Not only was the poor woman’s life saved, but my life was completely saved. If I hadn’t obeyed the Holy Spirit’s guidance and prevailed by God’s grace at that moment, my Christian life might have come to a bleak end. “I remember very well that on the way home, my heart was as light as my money bag. In the dark silence of the streets, my ears kept ringing with my irrepressible praise songs. Before I went to bed, I drank the bowl of oatmeal, only to think that the emperor’s feast was not enough to exchange. I knelt at the bedside and asked the Lord not to forget His own words: ‘He who has mercy on the poor lends to the Lord.’ I begged him to remind my long-term borrower that the delay should be done as soon as possible, or tomorrow my lunch would be gone. In a state of peace of mind and body, I spent a pleasant and peaceful night.
The next morning, the only remaining oatmeal came knocking on the door before it was finished. I rarely receive letters on Mondays, as my parents and most of my friends avoid sending letters on Saturdays, so I was surprised when the landlady walked in, wiped her wet hands with her apron, and gave me something that looked like a letter and a package. I took the letter, but I saw that the handwriting on the envelope was quite unfamiliar, and if it had not been sent by a stranger, it would have been written illegible, and the postmark was blurred, so I did not know where the letter came from. When I opened the envelope, I found not a single word in it, but a pair of children’s gloves wrapped in a blank sheet of paper, and in my astonishment, a pound and a half fell to the ground. “‘Praise the Lord,’ exclaimed me, ‘twelve hours of investment, four times the profit!’ I wonder how glad I would be if the Merchant of Howl lent money out to make such a profit!’ I have decided to deposit my savings and income in this bank, which will not fail. I still don’t regret that decision. “This incident comes to my mind from time to time, and it is my constant encouragement and help on difficult days.
If we are faithful to God in small things, we can accumulate experience and abilities that will help us cope with life’s greater trials. “The story isn’t over yet. It was not the only prayer he had heard from the Lord, but it strengthened his faith. Here’s how he ended the story: “This amazing deliverance and forgiveness by God not only brought me great joy, but also strengthened my faith. After all, it’s only ten shillings, and no matter how much I save, I won’t be able to sustain myself for long. I will continue to pray that the Lord will remember to pay me my salary, which is the greatest supply. But my prayers seemed to have been in vain, and two weeks later, I was back to the same thing as I had on that memorable Sunday night. Again and again, I pleaded with God to remind Dr. Hedi that my food was over. “Money isn’t a problem for me, though, because if I ask, it’s easy to solve.
The main concern was, ‘Can I go to China?’ or is my attitude of actively seeking faith and power from God to prevent me from participating in this precious ministry?'” The week passed quickly, and I became more and more restless. Not only do I have to worry about my own needs, but more importantly, I have to pay the rent to my landlady on Sunday night, she needs the money very much. Should I ask for her salary? But if I did, I would be admitting that I was not a missionary!
In addition to my work hours, I spent my entire Thursday and Friday wrestling with God in prayer. By Saturday morning, the situation had not changed. I earnestly asked God for guidance on whether I should remain silent and wait for the Father’s work. In my judgment, I always felt that waiting for God to work was the best way to go, because God would be the Lord for me. So I continued to wait, my heart was at peace, and the burden on my heart had flown out into the clouds. “At about five o’clock on Saturday afternoon, Dr. Hedy finished his prescription and finished the day’s final work, leaned back as usual, sat comfortably in his easy chair, and talked about God’s affairs.
He was a sincere Christian, and we had many sweet fellowship times. At that time, I was busy guarding a pot of boiling potions, but fortunately, it was, because suddenly he came out of nowhere: ‘Yes, Hudson Taylor, is your salary due?'” I had to swallow two or three times before I could answer. I turned my back to him, still looking at the cauldron of medicine, and said to him in the calmest of tones, yes, my salary has been paid a long time late.
At that moment, my heart was filled with gratitude! God finally heard my prayer, and I didn’t have to say a word, God reminded him to pay me at this most critical time. “‘Oh, I’m sorry, but I’m sorry you didn’t remind me. You know how busy I am, if I had remembered earlier, I wouldn’t have had to put all my money in the bank in the afternoon, and you would have received your paycheck instantly. After hearing these surprising words, I was so excited that I was at a loss, it was indescribable. Fortunately, the medicine in the pot was boiling at this time, so I could take the opportunity to run out of the room with the pot. I stayed out of his sight until Dr. Hedi left the infirmary. And the best thing is that he didn’t notice my emotional ups and downs.
Soon after he left, I went back to my workshop and poured out my heart to the Lord. Until the mood is completely calmed down, and gratitude and joy resurface. I feel that God has His ways and will not disappoint me. I sought His heart this morning, and I felt that patience was His direction, and now God will find another way out for me in other ways. “As usual on Saturday nights, I stayed in my workshop to read the Bible and prepare for tomorrow’s sermon in the ghetto. I had a little more time than usual, and at about ten o’clock I put on my coat and was about to go home, remembering that by this time the landlady had already gone to bed and that I had to use the key to the spring-loaded door lock to get in, and felt a little comforted, and thought that there was no hope of receiving money tonight. Maybe God will open the way for me on Monday so that I can pay off my rent sooner rather than later. “Just as I was turning off the gas light, I heard the doctor’s footsteps ringing in the courtyard between the infirmary and his residence. He laughed and seemed to have encountered something very interesting.
He came in and called me to get the books, and told me that it was a bit strange that one of the very wealthy patients had just come to pay his bills! I never thought it would have anything to do with what I was facing, otherwise I would have been very embarrassed. From a bystander’s point of view, I also find this rich man’s approach a bit bizarre. He can pay his medical bills effortlessly at any time, so why should he pay his bills at 10 p.m.. This means that he probably can’t let go of this matter in his heart, and he has to pay off the medical bills at midnight.
“Dr. Hurdy took the book, wrote the receipt, and was about to leave, when suddenly he turned around and gave me some of the money he had just received, to my amazement and gratitude. He said, ‘Hudson Taylor, you take these bills first, I don’t have any change now, and I will pay you back the rest next week.’ Once again, I was left alone, and Dr. Hedy never noticed my mood change. I went back to my workshop and thanked God with joy, ‘I can probably go to China!'” I’m going to China after all. ”
Testimony…
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I felt that if I wanted to go to China, I had to train myself to trust in a faithful God. In March 1852, at the age of nineteen, Hudson Taylor, an impatient man full of ideals, wrote to his sister: “I think I am about to leave this country, and I do not know what God’s next direction is, but I feel that change is coming and that there are signs that I am ready to go on my way.” Pray for me that my faith will not be lost.” For Hudson Taylor, joining the mission in the foreseeable future would be difficult because all missions require mission staff to be ordained and have superior training.
So he planned to earn enough money to travel and set out for China, where he would look to God for provision. But the thought of having to work to save money made him impatient and unacceptable, so he continued to share another thought with his sister in the letter: “If I stay here for two more years and save fifty to sixty pounds before going to China, it will make no difference between finding the money while I go.” Within two years, at least 2.4 million people had died in the land…… In six to eight months, I should be able to speak a little Chinese.
If I could preach the truth of the gospel to a perishing sinner – then I would have to endure a four- to six-month journey. Hudson wanted to get a job as a doctor’s assistant on a ship, and if not that was possible, a sailor. Although he was willing to endure the hardships and sufferings that came with doing so, the prayers and counsel of his family, friends, and friends made him consider absorbing more knowledge before setting sail to the other side of the earth. Dr. Hedy was willing to take Hudson Dudson as an apprentice, but he wanted him to study for the next three years.
Hudson Taylor wanted to be a doctor, but he felt that he had to leave as soon as the opportunity came, so he had to decline the doctor’s good intentions. Soon, a few months after Hudson Taylor’s twentieth birthday, he decided to go to London to continue his medical studies. He was sure that he would not need to wait there long before he could make the trip. Hudson Taylor was determined to practice and strengthen his faith in ministry, so it was no longer important to raise more money for travel, to receive more knowledge, and even to train for a more mature life.
“I think that if you want to go to China, you have to train yourself to trust in a faithful God, and there is a golden opportunity ahead. “My dear father has offered to bear all my expenses in London, but his business has recently been losing money, and it will take great sacrifices to help me get there. I have recently begun to get acquainted with the members of the China Missionary Society, who have no idea of my father’s intentions and who are willing to take care of all my expenses in London. Overwhelmed when I received these two suggestions, I wrote to my father and the secretary of the committee, telling them that I needed a few days to pray and consider, and to share their suggestions with both parties.
Finally, after prayer, and under the guidance of the Lord, it became clear to me that I should not accept either kindness. The mission secretary did not know that I had decided to rely entirely on God’s provision, and my father would have thought that I had accepted help. I wrote to dismiss the kindness of both. I know that no one will worry about my needs anymore, that I am alone in God’s hands, and He knows my heart. If God were to encourage me to go to China, He would have given me the ability to rely fully on Him in England first.
Hudson received support from the Mission Society for his tuition at a London hospital, and he lived with his uncle in SoHo until he found a permanent home. In addition to these two aspects, this young man from a small town will have to pay for all the expenses of living in bustling London. Before leaving Hor, he wrote to his mother: “I can testify that the following golden verse is true: ‘You will keep him very safe with his steadfast heart because he trusts in him.'”
My mind was as calm as a thousand pounds in my pocket. May God keep me steadfast in my hope in His provision in all things temporal and spiritual. He wrote to his sister Ho Mei to inform her that he needed a job that would help him pay for his living expenses and give him time to study. “There wasn’t a good job in London, but I wasn’t in a hurry because he was ‘God yesterday, today, and ever.’ His mercy will not be broken, his words will never change, his power will remain, and everyone who trusts in him will be ‘very peaceful’: I realized that he strengthened my faith by love. May he be glorious, and I will be satisfied. Hudson Taylor felt that if his confidence did regress one day, he would rather be in England than in China.
So he continued to exercise his faith. He lived a simple life and relied solely on God’s provision. He once mentioned in a letter: “In order to save money, my cousin and I shared a room. We live about four miles from the hospital, and we are responsible for our own meals. After much research, I found that the most economical way to live is to satisfy my hunger with coarse wheat bread and water. In this way, I can use God’s provision for me as long as I can. Some expenses are unavoidable, but the cost of meals is completely in my control.
Walking home from the hospital every day, buying a twopence barley bread on the way would satisfy my two meals in the morning and evening, and two or three apples at noon, which was enough to provide me with the strength to walk eight or nine miles a day and frequent exchanges during my internship at the hospital. In the months that followed, Hudson Taylor’s endurance was put to the test. Although he was studying, he prayed constantly for God to open the door to China.
During this time, he contracted a malignant fever from the autopsy of a corpse and almost died. But what happened on the other side of the world not only wanted to rewrite Chinese history, but also made Hudson Taylor’s long-held dream a reality. In China, the Taiping revolt seemed to be in doubt, with their capital at Nanjing, while the Christian army occupied most of the provinces in the Central Plains and the north, and Beijing seemed to be about to fall into the hands of the rebels.
Hong Xiuquan, the leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was so envious of the Christian faith that he wrote to an American missionary to the effect that “Send teachers, and let many teachers spread the truth.” When my career is successfully completed, I will spread the doctrine of God throughout the country so that all people can come unto the Lord and worship the one true God. This is what my heart desires. At this time, China, which has always been closed to self-control, seems to be about to open its doors to the messenger of Christ.
Churches across Europe and North America were thrilled with the opportunity, believing that this opportunity was too precious to be missed. To this end, a steady stream of donations rolled into the warehouses of various mission agencies to support various projects related to China. For example, the British Bible Society has an unprecedented intention of printing a million copies of the Chinese New Testament.
The missionary society, which had paid for Hudson Taylor’s tuition, decided to send two missionaries to Shanghai in the shortest possible time, one of whom was a surgeon of Scottish descent because he could not leave immediately, and the missionary thought that Hudson Taylor was a bachelor at the age of twenty-one, and that it would most likely be that he would be able to go immediately, even if it meant sacrificing the course of medicine and surgery he was studying. Hudson Taylor, though impatient and anxious to get on the road, was an easy decision to accept a missionary assignment.
He had worked with the China Missionary Society in the past, and he knew that as a missionary of the Society, he had to report to the mission and ask for instructions. Their intention was to send him to Shanghai, and what if God opened the way for him to go deep into Chinese mainland? He began to feel that God was calling him to go to Chinese mainland, places where Western missionaries had never set foot.
Now that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom seems to be gaining power, a great opportunity may be at this time. He began to look back on his original plan to go to China on his own, which was perhaps the most important one, and he had no other reliance but God. He consulted his family and friends on the matter and asked them to intercede for him. But after meeting one of the missionary secretaries, he wrote to his mother: “Mr. Bi solved most of my problems, and I decided to follow his advice and immediately recommend myself to the committee. I am still expecting you to pray for me and wait for your answer. If I accept the assignment and set out on my journey, do you suggest that I go home first? I look forward to seeing you again, and I am sure you will feel the same way. But it’s good that we don’t see each other because it’s the saddest thing to see each other and then be separated forever.
Oh, it won’t be forever!” “I can’t write anymore, I hope you will hear back to me soon.” Please pray for me more. It is easy to leave everything to the Lord, but when the test comes, we will be able to survive only when we are ‘perfected and perfected in Him.’ May God bless you and be with you, my dear Mother, and may God let you appreciate the preciousness of the Lord Jesus so that you may have nothing to ask for but to ‘know Him.'” His letter to his sister reads: “Pray for me, dear Homei, that God who has promised to give us all that we need may be with me in this long waiting day on the edge of pain.” Hudson Taylor finally decided: that he was leaving for China. He bought the ticket for the fastest departure.
At the Ocean Ship Dock in Liverpool, the brig “Dun Fatu” is moored for China. The small 470-ton boat had a passenger, so there was no crowd on the pier. Mr. Pearse, the representative of the mission, and Hudson Taylor’s father came to Liverpool to see him off, but the ship was delayed due to repairs, so they left without a long stay, leaving Hudson Taylor’s mother alone to watch him depart. Hudson Taylor later made the following notes about that exciting and sad experience: “On September 19, 1853, in the aft cabin of the ‘Dunfei VII,’ the members of the China Missionary Society held a simple mission meeting, especially for me.
“My beloved mother (now home) came to Liverpool to say goodbye to me. I will never forget that day, or how she followed me into the little cabin that would be my home for the next six months. My mother made my bed with her loving hand, then sat beside me and sang the last hymn before we parted. When we knelt down, my mother began to pray, and that was the last time I heard her prayer for her child before I left for China. Then the notice came down, the ship was about to set sail, and we broke up. We don’t dare to hope to see each other again in the world. To make me feel better, she tried to suppress her emotions as much as possible.
We broke up and she walked ashore and turned back to give me her blessing. I stood alone on the deck while she followed the ship forward in the direction of the locks. The ship passed through the locks, and at this moment we were separating. My mother’s heartfelt cry pierced me like a knife, and I will never forget it. It was then that I realized what it means to say that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. And I believe that my beloved mother will know more about God’s love now than she has ever comprehended!
“Parting is undoubtedly sad and painful, but the hardships of Hudson Taylor’s journey around the earth have only now begun. Before the ship reached the high seas, its voyage was in danger of being interrupted. For twelve days and nights, the Darmsfors was struck by storms in St. George’s Strait, sometimes toward Ireland and sometimes toward the treacherous shores of Wales. Hudson Taylor wrote of his journey: “All day on Saturday (September 24), the barometer was constantly falling. As night fell, the wind picked up again. On Sunday morning, the captain did not summon the sailors to listen to him read the prayer at the stern of the ship, as he had done all night.
In the afternoon, the wind blew harder, and all sails were taken in except for a few sails left for balancing. I handed out the leaflets to the crew and then went back to the cabin, and the boat was so jolting that I was dizzy.” The barometer is still falling, and the strong winds are intensifying and gradually turning into hurricanes. Both the captain and the first mate said they had never seen such a monstrous wave. At about two or three o’clock in the afternoon, I barely made it up to the deck. We saw the waves churning, the sea foaming at the foam, a large ship clinging to our stern, and another brig on our windy side. The big ship caught up, but drifted farther away from us. The waves crashed against the hull of the ship, threatening to swallow us at any moment, and the boat stubbornly withstood the wind and waves. Because the wind was strong and fierce, our ship did not move forward but followed the wind blowing from the west toward the shore. “‘Unless God helps us,’ said the captain, ‘we have no hope.'” I asked him how far it was from the coast of Wales. “‘About fifteen or sixteen miles,’ he replied. We have nothing else to do but hoist all the sails.
The more sails open, the less fast we drifted. This is a matter of life and death, pray that God will hold those masts. He spread two sails on each mast. “It was a horrible time. The wind was blowing so hard that our ship was pushed to and fro by the waves, and one moment it rose into the air, and the next it looked like an abyss into the sea. The windward side of the ship is raised high, while the downwind side is tilted very low, and in fact, the sea water is constantly pouring into the cabin from the downwind side. I stared at the sunset and thought, ‘Tomorrow you will rise the same, and as for us, unless God does great things for us, we and this ship may be nothing but splinters’ The night was very cold, the wind was bitter, and we kept going, and the rolling waves beat us through.
I walked back to the cabin, and after reading a hymn or two, a few psalms, and John 13-151, I felt so much better, and fell asleep. After sleeping for an hour, I got up and looked at the barometer and saw that it was rising. We passed by the lighthouse of Baitu Island, which is in the sea between Gardigan and Canawin Bay. I asked the captain if we would touch the reef at Cape Saint-Tatou. He replied, ‘It’s fine if our ship doesn’t change course, but if it drifts again, we’ll have to trust in God’s protection.’ ‘Our boat drifted with the waves—first the lighthouse of Cape Saint Tatu appeared on our bow, then on the side of the ship. Our fate seems to have been decided. I asked the captain if we had only two hours left, and the captain was noncommittal. The barometer is still rising, but it’s so slow that we can’t hope. I think of my beloved parents, my sister and my friends…… Tears began to roll down…… The captain was brave and calm, and he believed that his soul was in the hands of the Lord.
The cooks also say that they are insignificant and that the Lord alone is in charge of all things. I thank God for their faith, and at the same time I plead with God to deliver us because of the sailors who have not yet known Him, and He will do so for Her glory because He is a God who hears prayers. I remembered the words of the Bible: ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you.'” And thou shalt glorify me. ‘I plead with God to fulfill His promise.”” Our situation is truly precarious. That night the moon was shining, the night sky was clear, and the coast was visible. I walked back into the cabin. The barometer continued to rise, but the wind did not abate. I took out my notebook, wrote down my name and address, and thought to myself that if my body was washed up on land, someone would know who I was. I put a few things in a basket that might help me or someone else get in if it floated as I thought. Finally, I put my soul in God’s hands and asked God to remember all my relatives and friends who had visited me.
I pray that if God could, he would keep this bitter cup away from us. After praying, I returned to the deck. Satan attacked me, and I was terrified. But once again, the Lord quieted my heart. From that moment on, I firmly trusted in the Lord, and the Lord gave me peace and stability. I asked the captain if the lifeboat was useful in the midst of the storm? As for making rafts out of timber such as masts, it is too late. The sea is white, and the shore is ahead.’ We must change the direction of the ship,’ said the captain, ‘or it will be all over.’ When the ship turns, the sea water can wash everything on the deck into the sea…… But we still have to try…… ‘This moment will tremble even the most resolute and unyielding heart.’ As soon as the captain gave the order, we turned the ship out, but in vain. Doing so should add distance to our shores.
The captain gave another order to turn the ship in the other direction, and by God’s blessing we succeeded this time, and we were on the reef near the shore, about two hulls away. Just as we were getting out of danger, the wind turned slightly two degrees and we were finally able to successfully sail out of Canawin Bay. If the Lord does not help us in this way, all our efforts will be in vain. His mercy knows no bounds. “Hudson Taylor’s notebook is full of interesting experiences from his journey. His voyage was for the most part, except for occasional moments of excitement, for they had not set foot on land for twenty-three weeks. Hudson Taylor spent most of his time in the cabin reading and equipping himself. He also held sixty religious meetings for sailors, some of whom were very interested in what he had to say, and talked and prayed to him privately. To his disappointment, however, the sailors did not change their lives much, and none of them were willing to fully dedicate themselves to the Lord. The most inspiring and most powerful test of the voyage was the windless days in the South Pacific.
From morning to night, the ship remained still, and from dusk to sunrise, there was a slight evening breeze to help the voyage. Hudson Taylor wrote of those days: “On this sailing ship, there is no wind in the face of the four fields, and the boat drifts with the rapids towards the treacherous shore, how helpless it feels. Amid a storm, the ship can be more or less controlled, but in the absence of wind, people are only empty and anxious. The Lord must exercise great power. When we sailed about north of New Guinea, we experienced a crisis.
That Saturday night we were about thirty miles from land, and on Sunday morning at the deck worship, I noticed the captain looking over the ship from time to time with a worried face. After the worship, I learned from him the reason: the boat was being carried towards a reef by a current that was traveling at four knots. We’re so close that we’re probably going to hit the rocks before dusk. After lunch, the sampan was laid down, and all the men on board tried together to turn the bow of the ship and sail to the shore, but in vain. After standing quietly on the deck for a while, the captain said to me, ‘We have done all we can do, and now we are left to fate,’ and a thought suddenly crossed my mind, and I replied, ‘There is one thing we have not yet done.’ ”What is it?” he asked. Four of us are Christians. Let each of us return to our cabins and pray with one mind that the Lord will give us a fresh breeze at once. It was as easy for him to supply the wind now as it was at dusk. The captain agreed, and I went to the other two. After we prayed together, the four of us went back to the cabin to wait for God.
After a short but deep prayer, I felt that God had answered our prayers, and I knew I couldn’t ask any more, so I quickly returned to the deck. At this time, the commander was the first mate of the ship, who was a non-believer. I went over and asked him to lower the lower corner of the sail, or the corner of the mainsail, which had been opened, so that the sail and the rope would not flapping against each other. ‘What’s the benefit of that?’ he asked me rudely. I told him that we had asked God for the wind, and that the wind was coming soon, and that we were so close to the reef that we could not delay any longer. With a look of contempt, he cursed, saying that he would see the wind and not hear it. As he spoke, I followed his gaze and looked up at the tallest sail on the mast, and it was certain that the sail had begun to flutter in the breeze. ‘Isn’t the wind coming, look at the little sail!’ I shouted. No, it’s just an anchor claw (a fleeting breeze).
He insisted. ‘Anchor claw or not,’ I cried out, ‘I beg you to lower the mainsail quickly, so that we may take advantage of the wind!’ and he did it without delay. After a while, the captain heard the voices of people on the deck and stepped out of the cabin to see what was going on. Within a few minutes, we were breaking the waves at a speed of six or seven knots per hour, and although the wind was rising and stopping, there was still wind on and off before passing the island of Biru. Before I arrived in China, God encouraged me to bring all my needs to Him, trusting Him to be my immediate help in the name of Jesus. He will soon be put to a similar test again.
4.基督教对人工智…
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「耶和华是我的亮光，是我的拯救，我还怕谁呢？耶和华是我性命的保障，我还惧谁呢？」【诗27: 1】
“未来社会是人类与机器共存的一个时代，应该让孩子们具备与机器共处的能力，这是很重要的素养。”是的，这就是AI冲击的现实，对孩子们是这样，对教会的传道人也是这样。
基督教信仰历来都是与时俱进的，不断的在创新，接受新的事物、新的技术，否则我们也不会有今天的复兴，圣经还分为旧约和新约。“耶和华是我的亮光，是我的拯救！我还怕谁呢？耶和华是我性命的保障！我还惧谁呢？”我们要相信AI也是出自于上帝，这是现代科技发展的进程，也是上帝赐予的不可回避的现实，我们需要认识到AI是一种技术，它可以帮助人们更好地理解和传扬福音，而不是威胁或取代我们的信仰。
1. 利用AI技术来促进传教工作。教会可以利用AI技术来更好地了解人们的信仰需求，提供更加个性化的传教服务，以及更好地管理教会资源，利用AI开发我们的信仰资源，有很大的空间，我们可以将信徒对于信仰的需要在AI中找到 一些答案作为参考，“智能化”管理教会，包括对圣经的理解、教牧的管理、财务的管理等等。
2. 培养信徒的数字素养。数字素养是指数字社会人们学习工作生活应具备的数字获取、制作、使用、评价、交互、分享、创新、安全保障、伦理道德等一系列素质与能力的集合。
数字意识：内化的数字敏感性、数字的真伪和价值，主动发现和利用真实的、准确的数字的动机，在教会协同学习和事工中分享真实、科学、有效的数据，主动维护数据的安全。
数字化学习与创新：在学习、灵修、和信仰生活中，积极利用丰富的数字化资源、广泛的数字化工具和泛在的数字化平台，开展基督教信仰的探索和创新。教会需要帮助信徒提高数字素养，以便他们能够更好地理解和使用AI技术，同时保持对传统信仰的敬畏和认真态度。这就如同我们早已使用的微信或网络传道、听道一样。
3. 加强与AI专家的合作，取得支持和指导。作为合作伙伴，教会可能需要AI专家提供支持和指导，与AI专家建立良好的合作关系后，可以考虑在我们的信仰领域拓展合作。这将有助于教会建立更广泛的专业网络，从而获得更多的合作机会。
4. 持续学习：不断学习和了解AI领域的最新发展和技术，以便与AI专家保持同步。这将有助于教会更好地理解教会的需求和挑战，同时也能提高教会在AI领域的知识和技能。教会可以与AI专家合作，共同探讨如何更好地利用AI技术来传扬福音和服务信徒、教会。有些AI软件是免费使用的，我们可以与开发者互动取得想要的。
四、AI生成内容领域正迅速扩大，未来对人才的需求将继续增长
面对这样的现实，教会是不是应该认真的对待和考虑怎么样利用AI了。特别是我们那些基督教新教的学府，是不是应该考虑培养自己的AI人才了？逆水行舟不进则退，再不考虑和实施基督教自己的AI人才战略和规划，我们会落后的。
当然了，无论怎么样的科技和技术都不能取代我们的信仰，我们的信仰是又真又活的、独一的上帝，圣经是我们唯一的真理。我们要坚持信仰的核心价值，无论AI技术如何发展，教会都需要坚持信仰的核心价值，这是任何技术都无法替代的。
AI人工智能是一个复杂且经常被误解的话题。随着 AI 技术继续快速推进，我们应该思考如何从圣经、信仰的角度来利用它。
五、对于AI，我们需要记住的关键要点：
1. 世界的一切发明创造都是出于上帝，AI，“这也是出于万军之耶和华，他的谋略奇妙，他的智慧广大”，不是无缘无故来的。上帝赋予人类对创造的统治权，其中包括为了美好目的而开发技术。人工智能（AI）可以用来帮助传播福音和服务他人。然而，我们必须谨慎，不要崇拜或相信技术而不是上帝，如果这样也是现代的拜偶像。人工智能没有“灵魂”，无法取代神的旨意、无法取代人际关系，只能是为我们信仰的上帝所用。
2. AI会不是带来失业？就如无线通信技术如手机、网络，取代了传统的PSTN（有线电话）和Telegram（电报）一样。回答是会的。就如同我们现在已经消失的行业和工种，如公交车售票员、电话局的话务员、一些施行AI计费的停车场的收费人员等。教会应该准备好帮助流离失所的工人，促进社会和谐安定。人工智能迫使我们反思人类的独特之处，比如创造力和情感。我们是按照上帝的形象创造的。
这里我们要提到算法。算法是指解题方案的准确而完整的描述，是一系列解决问题的清晰指令，算法代表着用系统的方法描述解决问题的策略机制。 通俗来说，算法也可以理解为一个解题步骤，有一些基本运算和规定的顺序构成。算法可以帮助我们促进人工智能在牧会中的准确度、透明度。
教会的传道人不应该依赖AI来写讲章。
首先，教会的传道人的主要职责是传播福音和教导圣经、牧养神的群羊。在这个过程中，他们需要用自己的所学的神学思想和牧养经验来解读圣经，并将这些教义传达给信徒。因此，如果传道人使用AI来写讲章，可能会影响他们的表达能力和沟通能力，就如前面所说，甚至是引用错误的信仰，从而影响传道效果。
其次，AI缺乏信仰和灵性，AI是基于数据和算法工作的，它没有真正的基督教信仰和灵性，除非是有一天有人专门开发了专属基督教的AI，那也不敢保证完全正确。而传道人的目的是传播神的旨意，帮助信徒建立与神的关系。因此，用AI编写的讲章可能无法真正、完全传达神的旨意。
无论如何，传道人应该始终将圣经的教导放在首位，并用自己的思想和经验来传达教义。
我们的教会、传道人、信徒要正确面对AI，要以开放、理性和务实的态度来应对这一技术的快速发展。以下是一些建议，可以帮助您更好地适应AI时代：
1. 了解AI：首先，要认识到AI是一种工具，它可以帮助人类解决问题、提高效率和创造价值，在我们的信仰里也是一样，比如查经、解经、名词解释、基督教的礼仪制度等。我们要了解AI的基本概念、原理和应用，以便更好地利用这一技术。
2. 保持学习：AI不是洪水猛兽，也不是妖魔鬼怪。我们要正确对待。随着AI技术的不断发展，我们需要不断学习和更新知识，以便跟上时代的步伐，更好地传福音。可以通过阅读书籍、参加培训课程或在线学习等方式提高自己的技能和素质。
3. 适应变革：AI将改变许多行业的工作方式和职业需求，包括我们基督教。如果我们在此面前还麻木不仁，将会落后。因此，我们需要学会适应这些变化，培养跨领域的能力，以便在AI时代找到新的机遇更好地牧会。
4. 培养、发挥创造力：虽然AI可以处理大量数据和执行复杂任务，但它无法替代“神国的奥秘”（圣经马可福音4章11节），也无法替代人类的创造力和直觉，特别是不能测度上帝的旨意。我们应该充分发挥自己的创造力，将AI作为辅助工具，共同将信仰的真理更好地发挥到完美。
几年前，曾经有一个在外资银行工作的信徒就把教会信徒的整个数据输入到AI系统，做了一个很好的分析。比如不同的信徒对讲道的不同需求等。而这正是我们的传道人的一个“瓶颈”：千篇一律的讲道，不分受众对象是谁，所以造成有的信徒对传道感觉“不解渴”，对传道人的讲道不满意。这是教会在利用AI分析当中的一个实例。教会如何利用AI传福音？我们应该思考、应该走出“瓶颈”。
AI可以在教会的传福音工作中发挥重要作用，以下是一些可能的方式和一些可能的应用：
1. 圣经学习资源：AI技术可以帮助创建个性化的圣经学习计划，根据每个人的进度和理解能力提供定制化的学习材料。特别是在查经方面，AI是非常棒的。此外，AI还可以用于解释圣经中的难解词汇和短语，帮助信徒更好地理解和研究圣经。
2. 礼拜仪式辅助：AI可以用于辅助主持礼拜仪式，例如播放诗歌、朗读经文、提示祷告时间等。此外，AI还可以用于实时翻译不同语言的祷告，让信徒可以参与跨文化教会活动。
3. 敬拜音乐创作：AI可以用于创作新的敬拜音乐，为教会活动增添新的元素。此外，AI还可以分析现有音乐作品的风格和情感，帮助信徒更好地理解和欣赏这些作品。
4. 神学教育和培训：AI可以用于开发个性化的神学教育课程，根据每个信徒的兴趣、背景和需求提供定制化的学习资源。此外，AI还可以用于评估信徒的神学知识和技能，帮助他们了解自己的进步并制定合适的学习计划。
5. 个性化的福音传播：AI可以通过分析信徒的兴趣、行为和互动来提供个性化的福音传播，做到因材施教，例如，AI可以根据用户的历史浏览记录和信主的经历、读经喜好等推荐相关的福音内容，从而提高信徒的参与度和接受度。
6. 祈祷辅助：AI可以用于提供祷告的指导，帮助信徒更好地专注于祷告，通过我们的中保主基督和与上帝建立联系。此外，AI还可以用于记录信徒的所祈求和祷告内容，以便他们回顾和反思自己的信仰经历。
7. 创作和发布福音内容：AI可以用于创作和发布各种形式的福音内容，包括文字、音频、视频、图片等。这些内容可以直接在社交媒体、网站或应用上发布，以吸引更多的人关注并了解基督教信仰。
8. 智能问答系统：AI可以用于建立一个智能问答系统，回答关于基督教信仰的问题。对那些对基督教有兴趣但不确定如何开始的人找到答案，从而促进他们接触和理解基督教。
9. 数据分析：AI可以帮助教会分析其传福音活动的效果，例如跟踪信徒的行为、收集反馈意见、信仰需求等。通过这些数据，教会可以了解自己的活动哪些有效，哪些需要改进，从而不断优化传福音的策略和方法。
10. 神学方面的研究：AI可以用于分析大量的神学文献和资料，帮助信徒更深入地了解我们的信仰和教义。此外，AI还可以用于预测信仰的变化和发展趋势，为教会的决策提供有价值的参考。
11. 信徒数据管理。我们的教会目前对于信徒的管理基本处于只是原始的、初级的阶段：姓名、性别、年龄、信仰时间等。这远远不够。而透过AI系统就会达到智能化的管理。
总之，AI技术在很多方面都可以为教会带来便利和支持，帮助信徒更好地实践信仰生活，可以为教会的传福音工作提供许多便利和支持，帮助教会更好地传播福音信息，吸引更多人关注和理解基督教信仰。
AI与我们的信仰，应该是为我所用、和而共生，彼此共进、共享未来，为福音服务。
正确面对AI意味着我们要以积极的态度去学习和掌握这项技术，培养、储备人才，坚持基督教中国化方向，保持基本信仰、核心教义、礼仪制度，深入挖掘教义教规中有利于社会和谐、时代进步、健康文明的内容，对教义教规作出符合当代中国发展进步要求、符合中华优秀传统文化的阐释，在处境中传扬福音、见证基督、办好教会。同时关注其对个人、社会和环境的影响，共同推动人工智能技术在基督教主内的健康发展。
AI在许多领域是很“能干的”，但也不是无所不能的，还有许许多多的方面需要改善和完善，特别是我们亟需基督教信仰方面的AI。随着AI技术的日趋成熟和不断进步，将来的AI会达到什么程度，真的无法预测，就如智能手机发展到今天，几乎“无所不能”，我们在四十年前根本想不到会如此智能化一样。有这样一件事情：二年前，我和一位老总谈公司的发展，说出了我的建议。这个时候一位海归的年轻人利用当时我们还“懵圈”的国外AI软件，把公司发展的需求输入进去，结果导出的结论几乎和我们人所想象的、所策划的一样！
人工智能（AI）的未来发展前景是非常广阔的。随着计算机技术的不断发展，AI技术也逐渐变得越来越成熟，AI技术将会更加智能化和高效化。例如，在医疗领域，AI技术可以帮助医生进行更加准确的诊断和治疗；在金融领域，AI技术可以帮助银行和保险公司进行更加准确的信用评估和风险控制；在教育领域，AI技术可以为学生提供更加个性化的教学方案；在教会牧养方面，AI会将圣经、神学、灵修、讲道、交通、培灵、赞美、祷告等综合。此外，未来AI技术还将会与物联网、大数据等技术进行结合，实现更加智能化的管理和控制。总之，未来AI技术将会在各个领域，包括教会，发挥越来越重要的作用 。
现在有的AI开发者和专家也正在基督教信仰方面做了大量的工作，相信不远的将来会有更多的中文AI基督教软件问世。但是，我说“但是”，我们不能完全倚靠不信主的人来为我们传福音服务，要有自己的信徒来量身定制为我们的信仰开发基督教专属的AI。
如果主内的同工同道对AI感兴趣，可以通过福音时代网页的电话联系我，我会给您推荐有关的专业人士，他有专业的课件供我们学习，可以推荐和侧重于基督教信仰方面的AI软件。
对于AI技术，我们不能只停留在简单的方面，而应该更深入到教会的各个方面，这样才能更好的利用AI技术为福音服务。如果您的教会已经在利用AI管理教会和牧养，有这方面的经验，可以共同分享。
愿上帝所赐的AI为福音所用，愿赐平安的主随时随处亲自给我们平安，愿主常与我们众人同在！