《西敏信条教牧简释 11.4》

Posted on Jan 31, 2021 by admin

11.4 上帝从创立世界以前便预定了使所有的选民称义1。在时候满足的时候,基督就为他们的罪死了,又为他们的称义复活了2;虽然如此,但是,他们一直要到所定的时候,圣灵确实将基督的救赎施行在他们身上,才得以称义3

1 加3:8;彼前1:2、19、20;罗8:30;2 加4:4;提前2:6;罗4:25;3 西1:21-22;加2:16;多3:4-7。

11.4  God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect,1 and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:2 nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.3

1 Gal 3:8; 1 Pet 1:2, 19–20; Rom 8:30; 2 Gal 4:4; 1 Tim 2:6; Rom 4:25;  3 Col. 1:21–22; Gal 2:16; Tit. 3:4–7.

我们已在这一章节学到上帝之选民如何本呼恩,因着信,又唯靠基督而被称义。我们尤其学到了称义之白白恩典、性质、范围、基础、工具、益处和目的。想要完全享受这教义的效果,我们就必须回答剩下的三道问题。第一道关系到称义的时间。第二关系到我们虽在称义里已受到罪债的清偿,还需祈求上帝“免我们的债”的原因。第三关系到我们对旧约圣徒的看法,考虑到他们一生中没看到基督赎罪的实现。

We have seen hitherto in this chapter how God’s elect are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. In particular, we have looked at the gratuitousness, nature, scope, basis, method, benefits and goal of justification. What remains are three questions which must be answered if we are to appreciate fully the implications of this doctrine. The first question has to do with the timing of justification. The second has to do with why we must still pray “forgive us our debt” when our debt has been paid for in justification. The third has to do with how we must regard Old Testament saints, seeing that the atonement of Christ was not yet fulfilled during their lifetime.

时间的问题是我们信条此章节的主题。这个问题是很重要的,因为它会影响到我们当如何相信上帝在我们归正前对我们的态度,以及我们的坚忍到底是我们称义的条件,还是我们称义的效果。

The question of timing is the subject of the present paragraph of our Confession. It is an important question because it has implication on what we are to believe concerning God’s attitude towards us before our conversion and whether our perseverance is the condition or the fruit of our justification.

简单来述,我们承认称义在某个意义上已发生在永恒中了—— 在于上帝不变与主权的预定要救赎选民;在另一个意义上已发生在历史中,就是当基督为他们而活、为他们而死;还有一个意义,在他们个人生命中,就是当圣灵将基督所买赎的救恩应用到每个信徒的身上时而实现。注意这三个意义对应三一上帝三个位格制度上的救赎之工。

Simply stated, we are given to confess that there is a sense in which justification happened in eternity—with the immutable and sovereign decree of God to redeem the elect; and there is a sense in which it happened in historical time when Christ lived and died for them; and there is also a sense in which it happens their lives individually when the Holy Spirit applies the redemption purchased by Christ to each believer. Note how the three senses correspond to the economic work of redemption of the three Persons of the Triune God.

我们可以说,选民在永恒中实质上已经称义,在历史中在十字架上称义,但是直到因着圣灵所赐的信心,与基督有生命的联合时,才会正式地、实际地称义。正如上帝的三个位格是同权同荣的,我们把这三种关系到我们称义的现实牢记在我们心里是很重要的。这是因为称义已经是上帝主权性、不变性与不能取消的预定——因此从永恒中也就是必然的——我们可以说我们从创立世界以前已被上帝所爱(参:弗1:4)。上帝是不变的;祂不是在我们归正之前恨我们,然后在我们归正之后又突然间开始爱我们。但是,上帝不会宣告我们为义,直到圣灵将基督所买赎的救恩应用到我们的身上。因此,未归正的就是在上帝的愤怒之下的(参:弗2:3)。

We may say that the elect were virtually justified from eternity; historically justified at the Cross; but are not actually and formally justified until they are vitally united to Christ by faith wrought by the Holy Spirit. As the three persons of the Godhead are equal in power and glory, it is important for us to bear these three realities concerning our justification in mind. Because justification was already planned—sovereignly, irrevocably and immutably, and is therefore certain from all eternity,— we can speak of being beloved of God before the foundation of the world (cf. Eph 1:4). God who is immutable did not hate us before our conversion and then suddenly begin to love us after our conversion. However, God would not declare us righteous until the Holy Spirit has applied the benefit of justification to us. Therefore, all who are not yet converted are children of God’s wrath (cf. Eph 2:3).

过分强调圣父的预定之工,就会导致片面性的永恒称义论,使我们否认选民在归正之前是在上帝的愤怒之下的。过分强调基督在历史一刻的救赎之工,又疏忽称义从永恒中已是真实的,就会导致我们在新旧约之间做出割裂性的划分,从而产生旧约圣徒是靠行为得救的教义。另一方面,过分强调因信称义,而不认定选民是上帝永恒所爱的,以及基督在十字架上受死时已经为所有选民满足了上帝的公义,就会导致阿民念派所强调的信心与善行为称义的条件!

An overemphasis on the decretive work of the Father leads to a one-sided doctrine of eternal justification that denies that the elect are under the wrath of God prior to their conversion. An overemphasis on the redemptive work of Christ in time and a failure to see that justification was in a sense actual from all eternity, will draw a sharp discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments and give rise to a doctrine of salvation by works for Old Testament saints. On the other hand, an overemphasis on justification by faith without an affirmation that the elect are beloved of God from eternity, and that Christ has satisfied divine justice on their behalf at the cross, will give rise to an Arminian emphasis on faith, good works and perseverance as conditions for justification!

原文作者: 林集章 、蔡林斯 、欧阳效正
中文譯者: 何恩杰,刘行
來源: Westminster Confession of Faith — With Brief Pastoral Comments  

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