《西敏信条教牧简释 14.2》

Posted on Aug 21, 2022 by admin

因为是上帝自己的权威在其中说话1。基督徒也藉此信心照着每段经文所说的分别去行:服从其命令2,因其警诫而战兢3,并坚信上帝对今世来生的应许4。但得救信心的主要活动,还在于使人因恩典之约,惟独接受并投靠基督,以至于称义,成圣,并承受永生5

1约4:42;帖前2:13;约壹5:10;徒24:14;2罗16:26;3赛66:2;4来11:13;提前4:8;5约1:12;徒16:31;加2:20;徒15:11

14.2   By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein;1 and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,2 trembling at the threatenings,3 and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.4 But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.5

1 Jn 4:42; 1 Th 2:13; 1 Jn 5:10; Acts 24:14; 2 Rom 16:26;  3 Isa 66:2;  4 Heb 11:13; 1 Tim 4:8;  5 Jn 1:12; Acts 16:31; Gal 2:20; Acts 15:11.

在前一章里,我们看到得救的信心源自于圣灵在选民之灵魂里的工,通常是藉着听道而成。在这一章里,我们能学到得救信心的对象与活动——那就是指得救信心相信什么、成就什么。

In the previous section, we saw that the source of saving faith is the work of the Spirit in the soul of an elect and that it is ordinarily produced through the ministry of the Word. In this section, we learn about the objects and actions of saving faith, i.e. what saving faith believes and what it does.

首先,我们学到在广义上,得救信心的对象是上帝全部的圣言。蒙得救信心的人接受圣经中所启示的都为真实可靠的,其基础就是上帝自己的权威在其中说话。那么举例来说,这样一个人相信尼布甲尼撒是历史上一个真实的人物,不是因为考古学证明了他的存在,反而是因为圣经就是这么说。同样的,他相信这世界是在六天内创造的,不是因为科学已证明这点,反而是因为这是圣经所展现的。其他在圣经里所陈述的也一样。得救信心就是相信圣经中所有启示的都是真实可靠的。

First, we learn that the object of saving faith is the whole Word of God in general. A person with saving faith receives as true whatever is revealed in Scripture on the basis of the authority of God Himself speaking in the Word. So for example, such a person believes that Nebuchadnezzar was a real person in history not because archaeology has proven his existence but because Scripture says so. Similarly, he believes that this world was created in the space of six days not because science has proven it but because that is what Scripture reveals. The same is true of everything else in the Bible. Saving faith believes to be true everything that the Word of God reveals.

是其次,我们学到得救信心的特殊对象与焦点就是主耶稣基督祂本身。得救信心惟独接受并投靠基督,以至于称义,成圣,并承受永生。唯有通过祂,罪人才能得救。使徒保罗和西辣告诉腓立比禁卒说:“当信主耶稣,你和你一家都必得救。” (徒16:31)又在使徒行传4:12里,使徒彼得告诉犹太领导说:“除他以外,别无拯救,因为在天下人间,没有赐下别的名我们可以靠着得救。”

But second, we learn that the special object and focus of saving faith is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Saving faith accepts, receives and rests upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification and eternal life. It is only through Him that sinners can be saved. The Apostle Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31). And again in Acts 4:12, the Apostle Peter told the Jewish leaders, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

重要的一点是,要认识到我们不可把相信基督和相信圣经对基督之人与工所教的这两件事分离。只有在圣经里显露给我们的基督——那真实可靠的基督——能救我们。一个人类自己想出或创出的基督将不能带来任何救恩。

What is important to realise is that we cannot separate faith in Christ from faith in what the Bible teaches about the person and work of Christ. Only the Christ who is revealed to us in the Bible or the true Christ can save. A Christ of man’s own imagination and making brings no salvation.

最后,这一章节教到蒙得救信心的人会适当地回应圣经里各种篇章,不分指令、警告或诺言。具体来说,这种人会听从指令,在威胁中战兢,并接受上帝对今生和未来生命的应许。

Finally, this paragraph teaches that the person with saving faith will respond appropriately to the different kinds of passages found in scripture, whether  be commands or warnings or promises. More specifically, such a person will obey the commands, tremble at the threatenings, and embrace the promises of God for this life and the life to come.

愿上帝赐给我们真正的得救信心!

May the Lord grant to all of us true saving faith!

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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