經文：彼得前書一章1至2節
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1–2
「耶穌基督的使徒彼得寫信給那些被揀選，分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞細亞、庇推尼寄居的人。」
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”
— 彼得前書一章1節
— 1 Peter 1:1
「被揀選」與「寄居的人」，這兩個詞放在同一句話裡，構成了整封信最核心的身份張力：在神面前是尊貴的、蒙愛的；在世界面前卻是外人、暫居者。這種雙重身份，正是今天每一位基督徒都必須誠實面對的生命處境。
“Elect” and “sojourner” placed together in the same sentence form the central tension of identity running through the whole letter: honored and beloved before God, yet an outsider and temporary resident before the world. This double identity is precisely the life situation every Christian today must honestly face.
一、被揀選：尊貴卻常被忽略的身份
Chosen: A Dignity Often Overlooked
彼得對收信人的第一個稱呼，不是「受苦的人」，也不是「弱勢的人」，而是「被揀選的人」。
Peter’s first word for his readers is not “the suffering” or “the disadvantaged,” but “the elect.”
這個稱呼極具份量。人人都渴望被揀選，尤其是那些感到被邊緣化或被輕視的人；許多人都記得，在球隊選人時最後一個被挑中，或聚會沒有被邀請的那種感覺。
This word carries great weight. Everyone longs to be chosen, especially those who feel marginalized or undervalued; many remember what it feels like to be the last one picked for a team, or left uninvited to a gathering.
彼得卻在信的開頭就宣告：無論你在羅馬帝國的社會結構中處於甚麼位置，無論你被多少人忽視、排斥或看輕，你在神面前首先是「被揀選」的。
Yet Peter declares at the very start of the letter: whatever your position in the social structure of the Roman Empire, however many people ignore, exclude, or look down on you, before God you are first and foremost “chosen.”
這種身份不是憑個人成就換來的，而是照父神的預知、藉聖靈成聖、又蒙基督血所灑而賜下的；救恩的起點、過程與確據，都不在於人自己，而在於三一上帝主動的作為。
This identity is not earned through personal achievement; it is given according to the Father’s foreknowledge, through the Spirit’s sanctifying work, and by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood. The starting point, process, and assurance of salvation rest not in oneself, but in the active work of the triune God.
有學者指出，對基督徒而言，身份是由神以及我們與祂的關係所定義；你是誰，不是任何人有權力決定的事。
Some scholars note that for the Christian, identity is defined by God and our relationship to Him; who you are is not something anyone else has the authority to determine.
二、寄居者：真實而不舒服的社會處境
Sojourner: A Real and Uncomfortable Social Position
彼得同時稱他們為「寄居的人」，這個詞在第一世紀特指那些沒有當地公民權、在異鄉暫居的外邦人；這種身分本身就與經濟與社會上的不穩定緊密相連。
Peter also calls them “sojourners,” a term in the first century referring specifically to foreigners without local citizenship, temporarily residing in a land not their own; this status was inherently tied to economic and social precariousness.
有學者形容，成為寄居者，在古代近東本是一種不利的身分，經歷經濟與社會上的困境，某程度上類似今日的難民處境。
Some scholars describe being a sojourner in the ancient Near East as a disadvantaged status, marked by economic and social hardship, in some ways resembling the situation of a refugee today.
彼得的收信人因信主，在自己原本熟悉的家鄉、群體與文化中，反而變成了「外人」；他們因信仰而失去原有的社會歸屬感，成為自己土地上的陌生人。
Because of their faith, Peter’s readers became “outsiders” within their own familiar homeland, community, and culture; through their faith they lost their original sense of social belonging, becoming strangers in their own land.
這提醒我們，「寄居者」不只是空間上的移動，更是一種因忠於基督而與周圍主流價值產生距離的處境。
This reminds us that being a “sojourner” is not merely geographical movement, but a condition of distance from the surrounding mainstream values because of faithfulness to Christ.
三、地上的困難只是暫時的
Earthly Hardship Is Only Temporary
彼得把「被揀選」與「寄居」並列，正是要提醒讀者：你現在所經歷的困難、邊緣化與不被理解，不是你生命的終局，而是暫時的處境。
Peter places “elect” and “sojourner” side by side precisely to remind his readers: the hardship, marginalization, and misunderstanding you now experience are not the final chapter of your life, but a temporary condition.
有釋經者指出，我們作為地上的寄居者，是因為神已經從這世界中揀選了我們，成為屬祂自己的子民；三一上帝已經完成我們的救恩，最終必帶領我們安全回到真正的家。
Some interpreters note that we are “exiles” in this world because God has chosen us out of the world to be His own people; the triune God has already accomplished our salvation and will ultimately bring us safely home.
寄居者的身分，本質上是一種盼望性的身分：他們不屬於這裡，卻正朝著應許之地前行；正如亞伯拉罕離開本地、本族，寄居在應許之地，卻朝向一個更真實的家鄉前行。
The identity of a sojourner is essentially a hope-filled identity: they do not belong here, yet they are journeying toward the promised land; just as Abraham left his homeland and people, sojourning in the promised land while journeying toward a truer home.
因此，你今天所面對的困難——無論是職場中的孤單、信仰與社會價值的衝突、被誤解或被邊緣化——都應被放在一個更大的時間框架裡看待：這是暫時的寄居，不是永久的流放。
Therefore, whatever difficulty you face today—loneliness at work, conflict between faith and social values, being misunderstood or marginalized—should be viewed within a larger timeframe: this is a temporary sojourn, not a permanent exile.
四、活在沒有神的多元社會中
Living in a Pluralistic Society Without God
今天的處境與彼得的讀者有相似之處，也有不同之處。
Today’s context resembles Peter’s readers in some ways and differs in others.
相似之處在於，我們同樣活在一個多元、常常對基督信仰冷漠甚至敵視的社會裡；不同的宗教、價值觀與生活方式並存，基督徒的信念常被視為眾多選項中的一種，而非普世真理。
The similarity is that we too live in a pluralistic society, often indifferent or even hostile to Christian faith; different religions, values, and lifestyles coexist, and Christian belief is often treated as one option among many, rather than universal truth.
彼得沒有教導讀者退出社會、與世隔絕。相反地，他吩咐他們，作為寄居的人和客旅，要禁戒肉體的私慾，因為這私慾是與靈魂爭戰的；他呼召的不是逃離社會，而是在社會中活出與眾不同的生命樣式，成為別人可以觀察並歸榮耀給神的見證。
Peter does not teach his readers to withdraw from society or isolate themselves. Rather, he instructs them, as sojourners and exiles, to abstain from the passions of the flesh that war against the soul; his call is not to flee society, but to live a distinctly different way of life within it—a witness others can observe and, through it, glorify God.
耶利米曾吩咐被擄到巴比倫的猶太人要「求那城的平安」；彼得前書呼應這個精神，提醒信徒即使身處遠離真正家鄉的異地，仍要積極地為所在之處尋求益處，同時清楚知道自己最終的目的地是應許之地。
Jeremiah once instructed the Jews exiled in Babylon to “seek the welfare of the city”; 1 Peter echoes this spirit, reminding believers that even while dwelling far from their true home, they should actively seek the good of the place they inhabit, while clearly knowing their ultimate destination is the promised land.
這意味著，在多元社會中，基督徒不是要與人隔絕、批判或退縮，而是要以誠實的工作、真實的愛、清潔的生活與盼望的品格，成為這個城市與社會的祝福，同時不隨波逐流地認同這個世代的價值標準。
This means that in a pluralistic society, Christians are not called to isolate, condemn, or withdraw, but to become a blessing to their city and society through honest work, genuine love, a clean life, and a character of hope—without conforming to the value standards of this age.
五、身分與生活方式是否相稱？
Does My Way of Life Match My Identity?
「蒙揀選的寄居者」不只是一個神學名詞，更是一把用來檢驗生活方式的尺子。
“Chosen sojourner” is not merely a theological term; it is a measuring rod for examining one’s way of life.
有講者提醒，我們可能在頭腦中記得自己是蒙揀選的寄居者，但若沒有真實活出這個身分，這個知識就沒有實際的分別。
One preacher notes that we may remember in our minds that we are elect exiles, but if we do not actually live it out, this knowledge makes no real difference.
蒙揀選的寄居者，必須活出聖潔、完全獻給神的生命；這種生活方式，會使人在誠實氾濫謊言的文化中追求正直，在人人以自我為中心的文化中追求犧牲的愛，總而言之，蒙召要與周圍的世界有分別。
Elect exiles must live holy lives, fully consecrated to God; such a way of life pursues integrity amid a culture rampant with deception, and sacrificial love amid a culture centered on self—in short, believers are called to be distinct from the world around them.
這帶出一個具體而不舒服的自我檢視：我今天在工作中的誠實程度、在關係中的犧牲程度、在消費與時間分配上的優先次序、在面對不公平時的回應方式，是否反映出「我是蒙揀選的寄居者」，還是更多反映出「我只想融入這個世界的標準」？
This raises a concrete and uncomfortable self-examination: does my level of honesty at work, my willingness to sacrifice in relationships, my priorities in spending and time, and my response to unfairness reflect “I am a chosen sojourner,” or do they reflect instead “I simply want to blend into this world’s standards”?
若我把時間、金錢、精力最主要投入在追求這個世界的認可、舒適與安全感，而不是投入在敬畏神、愛人與見證真理上，這可能表示我的生活方式與我所宣稱的身分並不相稱。
If I invest most of my time, money, and energy in pursuing this world’s approval, comfort, and security, rather than in reverence for God, love for others, and witness to truth, this may indicate that my way of life does not match the identity I claim.
六、需要調整的具體方向
Concrete Directions for Adjustment
第一，重新排列生活的優先次序，讓「屬天的公民身分」影響日常決定，而不只是週末的宗教活動。
First, reorder life’s priorities so that “heavenly citizenship” shapes daily decisions, not merely weekend religious activity.
第二，在多元社會的職場與人際關係中，堅持誠實、公義與憐憫，即使這意味著與周圍主流做法不同，甚至付上代價。
Second, in the workplace and relationships of a pluralistic society, hold firmly to honesty, justice, and mercy, even when this differs from mainstream practice and carries a cost.
第三，避免用消極對抗或優越感看待不信的人，而是效法彼得的教導，以美好的品行讓人觀察並歸榮耀給神，主動尋求所在城市與群體的益處。
Third, avoid viewing unbelievers with hostility or superiority; instead, follow Peter’s teaching to let good conduct be observed by others so that they may glorify God, actively seeking the good of one’s city and community.
第四，在感到被邊緣化、被誤解或格格不入時，不以此為羞愧或想要隱藏信仰，而是把這種張力視為寄居者身分的正常標記，並從中得力，因為這處境不是永久的。
Fourth, when feeling marginalized, misunderstood, or out of place, do not treat this as shame or a reason to hide one’s faith, but view this tension as a normal mark of the sojourner’s identity, drawing strength from it, since this condition is not permanent.
第五，常常回到「被揀選」這個身份的根基，提醒自己：地上暫時的困難，不能定義我永恆的價值與盼望。
Fifth, return often to the foundation of being “chosen,” reminding oneself that temporary earthly hardship cannot define one’s eternal worth and hope.
今日省察與禱告
Reflection and Prayer
我是否真的相信，眼前的困難、誤解或邊緣化只是暫時的，而不是我生命的最終結局？
Do I truly believe that the difficulties, misunderstandings, or marginalization I face now are only temporary, not the final outcome of my life?
我今天的生活方式——工作中的誠實、關係中的犧牲、時間與金錢的使用——是否與「蒙揀選的寄居者」這個身分相稱？
Does my way of life today—my honesty at work, my sacrifice in relationships, my use of time and money—match my identity as a “chosen sojourner”?
在這個多元、常常沒有神的社會中，我是選擇隨波逐流融入，還是選擇活出清晰而有愛的分別？
In this pluralistic society that often has no place for God, do I choose to blend in with the flow, or do I choose to live out a clear and loving distinctiveness?
主啊，求祢使我真實記得，我在祢面前是蒙揀選、蒙愛、蒙聖靈成聖、蒙基督血所灑的人，這身分不因世界的看法而改變。
Lord, help me truly remember that before You I am chosen, beloved, sanctified by the Spirit, and sprinkled with Christ’s blood—an identity unchanged by the world’s opinion.
求祢使我在這個多元的社會中，不因暫時的孤單、誤解或壓力而妥協，而能活出與這身分相稱的誠實、犧牲與愛。
In this pluralistic society, keep me from compromising because of temporary loneliness, misunderstanding, or pressure, and enable me to live out honesty, sacrifice, and love that match this identity.
求祢賜我盼望，使我明白地上的一切困難都只是暫時的寄居，而祢已經為我預備了永恆的家鄉。
Give me hope, that I may understand every earthly difficulty is only a temporary sojourn, and that You have already prepared an eternal home for me.
願我今天調整生活中與這身分不相稱的地方，忠心地作一個蒙揀選的寄居者，直到見祢面的那日。
May I adjust today whatever in my life does not match this identity, faithfully living as a chosen sojourner until the day I see Your face.
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