10我们须将这个原则应用到今天基督徒的光景上。基督教里的分裂,是由自私与野心引起的。因为有些人存心要有他们自己的“帝业”,就不顾神的选择。……在旧约神所选择独一的地方,是在耶路撒冷的锡安山。圣殿包含至圣所,就是神发言之处,乃是建造在这里。然而耶罗波安,一个有野心,又自私自利的人,建立了另一个敬拜的中心。……实际上这个敬拜中心,不过是耶罗波安野心的掩饰而已。……许多基督徒的领袖们,建立起敬拜的中心来。这些中心的建立,表面上是为了敬拜神,实际上是为了满足人创取“帝业”的野心。因此,认真说来,许多基督教团体的创始者,都是现今的耶罗波安。他们所建立的敬拜中心,实际上乃是野心中心而已。就为这缘故,在这些地方能看到“偶像”。
10We need to apply this principle to the situation among Christians today. The divisions in Christianity are caused by selfishness and ambition. Because certain ones are ambitious to have their own empire, they neglect God’s choice... In the Old Testament God’s choice was a unique place: Mount Zion in Jerusalem. In this place the temple with the Holy of Holies as the oracle was built. Nevertheless, Jeroboam, an ambitious, selfish, and self-seeking man, set up another center of worship... This worship center was actually a coverup for Jeroboam’s ambition... Many Christian leaders have set up centers of worship. Apparently, these centers are established for the worship of God. Actually, they are set up to fulfill a man’s ambition to have an empire. Hence, in a very real sense, the founders of many Christian groups are today’s Jeroboams. The centers of worship set up by these present-day Jeroboams are actually centers of ambition. For this reason, “idols” can be found in those places.