8.8 To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same;1 making intercession for them,2 and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation;3 effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit;4 overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner, and ways, as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.5

 

1 Jn 6:37, 39; 10:15–16; 2 1 Jn 2:1–2; Rom 8:34;  3 Jn 15:13, 15; Eph 1:7–9; Jn 17:6;  4 Jn 14:16; Heb 12:2; 2 Cor 4:13; Rom 8:9, 14; 15:18–19; Jn 17:17;  5 Ps 110:1; 1 Cor 15:25–26; Mal 4:2–3; Col. 2:15.

 

在此章最后一节，信条给了我们关于基督作为我们的中保与救赎主所作之工的奇妙的总结。

 

In this final section of the chapter, we are given a wonderful summary of the work of Christ our mediator and redeemer.

 

首先，它教导我们基督没有为世上每一个人买回救赎，而只是特定的一群人，就是被基督称为祂的羊。在约翰福音10:14-15，祂说道：“我是好牧人，我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我，正如父认识我，我也认识父一样；并且我为羊舍命。”这表明当基督在十字架上受难并被钉死时，祂所想的是一些特定的人和他们的罪。同样，在马太福音1:21，我们读道：“你要给他起名叫耶稣，因他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。”

 

The first thing it teaches us is that Christ did not purchase redemption for every single person in the world but only for a particular group of people, whom Christ Himself describes as His sheep. He says in John 10:14-15, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” This means that when Christ suffered and died on the cross, He did so with specific people and their specific sins in mind. Again, we read in Matthew 1:21b, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

在这一节中我们能学到的第二点是，基督所买的救赎是确定而有效地施行于祂的所有人民的。基督会确保祂为选民所作为的成果的确会被他们获得并享受。祂并不是仅仅希望他们或许会伸手为自己拿来祂为他们所提供的。不，基督会确保祂的救赎之工能够有效地传递给祂的每一只羊。

 

The second thing we learn from this section is that the redemption purchased by Christ is certainly and effectually applied to all His people. Christ will see to it that they will actually receive and enjoy what He has accomplished for them. He does not simply hope that they will somehow stretch out their hands and take for themselves what He offers to them. No, Christ makes sure that His redemptive work is effectively communicated to each and every one of His sheep.

 

这一节其余的部分继续解释基督为我们——祂的羊——所做的事，而我们可以方便地将祂的工作根据祂先知、祭司与君王三个职分而分类。作为祭司，基督为我们代求，而因为祂的代求，我们不会失去信心（路加22:32，约翰17:15），而我们也不会被上帝定罪（罗8:33-34）。作为先知，基督通过并在圣经中为我们揭示救赎的秘密。最后，作为君王，基督有效地通过祂的灵说服我们，使我们相信并顺服祂的话语，而祂以自己的全能全智胜过我们一切的仇敌，而且所用的方式和途径完全与祂奇妙莫测对万物的安排相合。

 

The rest of this section goes on to talk about what Christ does for us as His sheep, and we may conveniently classify His work according to His three offices of prophet, priest and king. As priest, Christ makes intercession for us and because of His intercession, our faith will not fail (Luke 22:32, John 17:15) and we will not be condemned by God (Rom. 8:33-34). As prophet, Christ reveals to us the mysteries of salvation in and by the Word. And finally, as king, Christ effectually persuades us, by His Spirit, to believe and obey His Word, and He overcomes all our enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in a way that is in perfect harmony with His wonderful and unsearchable ordering of all things.

 

赞美上帝——在祂独生子耶稣基督的位格里赐给我们如此珍贵而完全充分的救主！

Praise God for giving us such a precious and all-sufficient Saviour in the Person of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ!

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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