14.3 这信心是程度不同，强弱不一的1；它可能屡次多方受打击，被削弱，但终必得胜2；它在许多人里面不断成长，直到藉着那为我们信心创始成终的基督3，获得充足的确信。
- 来5:13、14；罗4:19、20；太 6:30；8:10
- 路22:31、32；弗 6:16；约壹 5:4、5
- 来12:2
- 来6:11、12；10:22；西 2:2
14.3 This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;1 may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:2 growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,3 who is both the author and finisher of our faith.4
1 Heb 5:13–14; Rom 4:19–20; Mt 6:30; 8:10; 2 Lk 22:31–32; Eph 6:16; 1 Jn 5:4–5; 3 Heb 6:11–12; 10:22; Col. 2:2; 4 Heb 12:2.
虽然得救的信心是上帝所赐的，而且永远不可能被真正的信徒所丢失，然而，他们在一生中不一定会一直体验到坚强的信心。圣经给了我们许多真信徒信心软弱或信心有疑惑的例子。我们在马可福音9:24可以很清楚地看到，当主告诉一个儿子被鬼附的人，在信的人凡事都能，那人立刻喊道：“我信！但我信不足，求主帮助。”
Although saving faith is a gift of God and cannot ever be lost in true believers, nevertheless, they will not always experience strong faith throughout their lives. The Bible gives us many examples of true believers exhibiting weak faith or a faith that is mingled with doubt. We see this very clearly in Mark 9:24, where after the Lord told the man with a demon-possessed child that all things are possible to him that believes, the man immediately cried out, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
我们信靠基督的信心可以增强，但也可能屡次经受到多方的打击与试探而被削弱，甚至变得非常软弱。这最经典的例子正在基督被背叛的那个晚上，发生在使徒彼得的身上。“西门！西门！”主对他说，“撒但想要得着你们，好筛你们像筛麦子一样；但我已经为你祈求，叫你不至于失了信心，你回头以后，要坚固你的弟兄。”但是，彼得没有足够认真地听从主的话语。他立刻又自信地宣布他甘心同主受死。不过几个小时后，彼得的信心受到了考验，而变得非常软弱，以至于他最后不只一次不认祂所爱的主，反而还三次不认。无论如何，他的信心并没有完全消灭，而在他受到恢复之后，基督时常通过他来增强与鼓励其他信徒的信心。
Our faith in Christ can grow in strength, but it can also diminish and become very weak through various trials and temptations. The classic example of this can be found in the life of the Apostle Peter on the night when Christ was betrayed. “Simon, Simon,” the Lord said to him, “behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Peter, however, did not take the Lord’s words seriously enough. He immediately and confidently went on to declare his firm resolve to follow His Master even to death. A few hours later, though, Peter’s faith was put to the test and it grew so weak that he ended up denying his beloved Lord not once but thrice. Nevertheless, his faith did not totally fail, and after he had been restored, he was greatly used by Christ to strengthen and encourage the faith of other believers.
的确，事实是在这一生中，有些信徒的信心会比其他的更坚固，因为圣经中提到有人“信心里得坚固”（罗4:20），也有人拥有“大的信心”（太8:10），相对于那些“信心软弱”的人（罗14:1）。不仅如此，如在使徒彼得的例子中，一个信徒可能在一生不同的时间有不同程度的信心。无论如何，所有真信徒都有胜过世界并将胜过世界的信心（约壹5:4-5）。
It is a fact that in this life, some believers will have stronger faith than others for the Bible speaks of those who are “strong in faith” (Rom. 4:20) and those with “great faith” (Matt. 8:10) as compared to those who are “weak in faith” (Rom. 14:1). Furthermore, as in the case of the Apostle Peter, a believer may have differing degrees of faith at different times in his life. Nevertheless, all true believers possess a faith that is and will be victorious over the world (1 John 5:4-5).
最后，我们的信条教导我们，真信徒的信心有可能非常成熟，以至于他们得以有充足的信心（来10:22）。只有当我们专注于那为我们信心创始成终的耶稣（来12:2），这才会是可能的。知道我们的信心永远不会消灭这个事实确实是何等的鼓励，因为基督长远活着，替我们祈求（来7:25），而在我们心里动了善工的必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子（腓1:6）! 让我们为此赞美上帝。阿门。
Finally, our Confession teaches us that it is possible for true believers to so mature in their faith that they attain to a full assurance of faith (Heb. 10:22). This is possible only as we fix our eyes on Jesus, who is both the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). What a great encouragement it is to know that our faith will never fail because Christ ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25) and that He who has begun a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6)! Praise God for that. Amen.
