On Chinese People's Belief in God from Shangshu

Shangshu, also known as Shangshu, is the earliest compilation of historical documents in ancient China. Is to study China's ancient political thought, culture and religion. The only collection of social customs. Most of its contents are the original text of the ancient oath of life. "Historical Records Confucius Family" said: "Confucius teaches with poetry, and his disciples cover 3,000." Classics are one of the main textbooks for Confucius' disciples. There are 100 classics revised by Confucius. However, the original work was completely destroyed by a fire of Qin Shihuang. The Yongjia Rebellion at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty brought the classic painting a second bad luck. The ancient prose "Jing Shu" has been completely lost again. The history book we have now, called "Today's History Book", has 28 articles and has always been recognized as reliable historical materials.

The words "God" and "Heaven" have long appeared in history books. Our ancestors had a clear understanding and intimate relationship with heaven and God. Many important events of mankind are embodied in the will of God. People understand the greatness and beauty of God's will and have a deep understanding of God's holiness. Let's extract some articles here for readers to see.

One: the beautiful talk of abdication

There is a widely circulated story in ancient times, that is, ordinary people who have not read the Scriptures in China know that they are familiar with it, and they can all say it in words, and then speak slowly. This is the story of Yao passing the throne to Shun. It's called abdication in history. During Yao's seventy years in office, one day he summoned the leaders of four princes and ceded the throne to them. The leader of a vassal refused to accept it because he thought he was talented and incompetent. Emperor Yao asked them to recommend a talented person, even if he was poor. Therefore, Shun, the son of a blind man from humble origins, was recommended. After three years' test, Shun lived up to expectations. Yao ceded the throne to Shun, and on the tenth day of the first month, he took the throne in the Taizu Hall. Immediately after Shun ascended the throne, he held a ceremony to worship heaven and told God about his succession. (See Classic of Books)

Later, Shun ceded the throne to Yu. We all know the legend of Dayu's water control. The success of Dayu's water control is due to the nine kinds of Dafa given to him by God recorded in Hong Fan. Later, Dayu took the method of vegetable guide, turned over the house three times and didn't enter, and finally managed the flood.

The wind of surrender has always been a beautiful talk, which has been passed down to this day. However, Chinese descendants forgot the most important part when telling this story. I don't know why this happened.

Zhang Wan asked Mencius, "Is it true that the son of heaven gave the world to Shun?" Mencius replied, "No, the son of heaven can't give the world to others." Zhang Wan asked again, "Then who gave it to him when he won the world?" Mencius said, "God gave it."

Mencius went on to say: "the son of heaven can recommend people to heaven, but not to the world;" Governors can recommend people to the emperor, but not the emperor and governors. "

In other words, the son of heaven can recommend people to heaven, but it doesn't mean that heaven gives the world to the people he recommends. Just as a vassal can recommend a person to the son of heaven, he can't let the son of heaven make this person a vassal. "What non-human beings can do is heaven." This is completely providence. No one can do it. ("On Mencius Zhang Wan")

As can be seen from the above story, it is God who is really in power on the earth and wants to fulfill God's will. Actually, rejuvenating the country and abolishing the country. It is God's will to become a king or abolish a king. As Daniel said, "The Most High rules the kingdom of man and gives it to whoever he wants." (Dan 4:32*) Mencius saw this clearly. As for why people who believe in God can do things according to God's will, there is a passage in the Bible that has a more exact explanation. "Because you are determined to do things, it is the spirit of God that works in your hearts and achieves his good pleasure." (Phil 2: 13*)

Man proposes, God disposes, that's what I mean. If you can follow God's will, you will get God's help.

Two: Pan Geng's move.

Pan Geng's relocation is another well-known story. Pan Geng is explaining to people why he moved. He was saying to the people, "You asked me,' Why should we shake all the people and let them migrate?' I tell you, I moved because God wants us to restore the virtues of our ancestors, so as to govern our homeland steadily. I will make unremitting efforts towards the goal of honesty and prudence, humbly protect people's lives, and let everyone live happily in this new city forever. "

He told people, "I ask God to extend your life. Where do I punish you? I want to protect you and raise all of you. "

It can be seen that Pan Geng not only knows the purpose and mission of his relocation, but also knows how to pray to God for the fate of the people. The image of Pan Geng reminds us of the image of Moses in the Bible. When Egypt raised a king who didn't know God and mistreated Israel; God sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When Israel sinned against God, Moses said to the Lord GOD, "Alas! This nation committed a great crime and made itself a golden statue. If you can forgive their sins ... otherwise, please erase my name from your book. "(Example 32:3 1*-32)

Like Moses, Pan Geng's mission came from God. We can imagine that in that distant era, without maps and compasses, such a large-scale migration needed God's help. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Lord God was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, leading the Israelites. It's a pity that we don't have a complete scripture, otherwise we may see more about God's actions in this migration.

Third: God is like a loving father.

Gao Zongyue is a short story.

On the day of the month's sacrifice to Emperor Gaozong, a pheasant flew to the sacrificial container and cried. Zu Ti said: "This should be reported to the king first, so that he can correct the sacrifice."

Zu Ti then told the king, "Heaven supervises the people and upholds justice. Some people are long and some are not, because God didn't mean to let people die young and give up halfway. But because some people refuse to adjust their words and deeds according to virtue, and they refuse to obey the punishment given by God. Now that God has ordered such people to correct their behavior, they say,' What else can God do to me?' "

"ah! King, you should respect the subjects given by heaven. They are all heirs to heaven. When the king sacrifices, the sacrifices in his father's temple should not be too rich. "

Here we talk about God's fairness and justice; It is said that people die young because they can't get God's blessing and happiness. Especially when it comes to people all over the world are from the sky. The intimacy between father and son can be seen from a common saying: brothers are fighting, and father and son are fighting. Our ancestors realized that God is our heavenly father. This is an amazing understanding, which shows their understanding of God and their relationship with God.

God is also called the father of the world in the Bible. Please see:

"They want to cry and go back to work.

I will guide them when they beg,

Let them go straight along the river,

Don't trip over it.

Because I am the father of Israel. "(leaf 3 1:9)

God guides us on the road of life, just as a loving father leads a lovely child to learn to walk. Be careful step by step, be concerned step by step, and don't let it fall. What a kind father image!

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, the first sentence was "our father in heaven." The apostle Paul said, what we get is not the heart of a slave, but the heart of a son. "So we shouted,' ABBA! Father! "(Luo 8: 15*)

God is not only the father of Israelis, but also the father of China! Not only the father of our ancestors, but also the father of Chinese descendants!

Fourth: God is like a good doctor.

The article in Dabao said: "Heaven can only help our people with diligence. If there is a disease, Qianning people dare not rest? "

God also loves and comforts people as if they were ill.

God treats the world not only like a father, but also like a good doctor. The idol cares for the world like a sick person, and he will cure all the physical and mental diseases of the world. The gods known by the ancestors of China are the same as the Lord God in the Bible:

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, so that they can lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will look for lost people; I will take back those who have been driven away; I will dress the wounded; I will cure the patient. "(Knot 34: 15*- 16)

"He forgives all sins and cures all your diseases." (poem 103:3*)

"He used his life to heal them and save them from death." (poem 107:20*)

"You treacherous child, get back to business! I want to cure your apostasy. " (Jeremiah 23:22*)

"I will cure their apostasy and love them willingly." (He 14:4*) When Jesus Christ preached in the world, he spent a lot of time on treating diseases. What he treated. It is not only a physical disease, but also a mental and moral disease. He said, "Healthy people don't need doctors, but sick people do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. " (Ke 2: 17*)

Five: Only God.

The article in broadsheet newspaper said: "The destiny is not arrogant, but the dust is nothing but a child."

Translation: "God's will is infallible, which is revealed by divination."

God is just and God's will is truth. If you obey God's command, you will be blessed. And if you go against your destiny, you will suffer disaster. The Book of Songs tells us that Yin was originally a country blessed by God. According to the toast, from the Tang Dynasty to Diyi, there was no king in the Yin Dynasty who disobeyed God's orders. But the last king did the opposite. Therefore, "God stopped blessing him and brought him a catastrophe. This shows that God will not give the country's luck to those whose moral character is not clear. All the small countries and big countries in the world have perished with impunity for their crimes. "

When talking about the reasons for the demise of the Yin King in the article "Duofang", Duke Zhou went on to say: "It is not God who wants to abandon the Yin State, but your monarch and your country in all corners of the world, who have acted excessively dissolutely, betrayed God's orders and eloquently defended their crimes. This is why God abandoned you. "

This is just better than power supply and conductor. God's blessing is like a source of strength. When the world voluntarily listens to God's words, it becomes a benign command, so that God's blessings to the world are unimpeded. When the world refuses to listen to God's call, it makes itself a bad conductor, making the source of God's blessing unable to circulate. Our ancestors realized this in their lives, so they had the following heartfelt advice.

Six: the call of ancestors

The ancients advocated nine virtues and thought that if they could be implemented, they could handle state affairs, family affairs and personnel well. These nine virtues are: generosity and softness, willingness and respect, chaos and respect, disturbance and fortitude, straightness and softness, simplicity and honesty, blocking harmony, and strength and righteousness. The book of books. Hao Tao Hume.

Generous and respectful, gentle and amiable, able to make achievements, rigorous and capable, able to handle affairs, able to manage affairs, respect superiors, resolute, upright and gentle, easy-going and able to distinguish right from wrong, vigorous and honest, brave and strong, and able to conform to etiquette.

But how can we give play to these nine virtues?

Duke Zhou said in the article "Establishing Politics": "In ancient times, there was virtue, only summer, but there were competitions, which called for the monarch and respected the gods. Di knew that he was obsessed with the trip to Nine Virtues."

In ancient times, such as the Xia Dynasty, their doctors were very harmonious, and they urged excellent people to lead everyone together: fear God and let them do things according to the Nine Virtues.

The answer is: "respect God". The fear of God is the cornerstone and source of strength of complete human nature.

Our ancestors had a direct and profound understanding and experience of God's fairness, justice, compassion and kindness, and the reward of good and the punishment of evil. Zhou respects God, rites and music prevail, the country is strong and the people are rich, and it is an ideal society. This society is also the ideal society of Confucius. This society is what Confucius called the era of great prevalence. In short, the so-called era when the avenue prevails is the era of respecting God.

"Respect God!" This is the aspiration of ancient people with lofty ideals, and this is the unique secret of ancient people. We thank our ancestors for leaving us these precious traditions. So we can still get inspiration and comfort from their praise of heaven today.

"Respect God!" Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has been loved and trusted by God. If for various reasons, this tradition has lost its due glory in historical inheritance; Therefore, in today's advocating the restoration of traditional culture, we can't forget our ancestors by counting classics. Now it is time for us to return to the belief that our ancestors were blessed.

"Respect God!" May this ancient sigh also become a reality in our hearts!

China people have believed that good and evil are rewarded since ancient times. As the saying goes, "evil is rewarded with evil, and good with good, not without retribution, but not yet." The Bible tells us that time is running out, "the end of all things is near." (Peter 1. 4:7) The time has come for God to execute retribution and judgment. "I saw another angel flying in the air, and there is an eternal gospel to be passed on to people who live on the ground, that is, all countries, nationalities, parties and people. He said with a loud voice, fear God and give him glory, for the time has come for him to judge. Worship the Lord who created heaven, earth, sea and water springs. ""(Rev. 14:6-7) "Those who persevere in doing good and seek glory, honor and immortality will be rewarded with eternal life; Only those who form small groups and obey injustice instead of truth will repay them with anger and indignation. Give trouble and hardship to all who do evil, and give glory, honor and peace to all who do good. Because god does not show partiality to others. ”(Rom。 2:7*- 1 1)

The Bible says, "The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge." "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." In this era of knowledge explosion, let's start from the real starting point of knowledge and wisdom! Because "God loves the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (about 3: 16*)

Take the road of respecting God and believing in Jesus, and let the world speak!