15.4 小罪不能因其小，而不该被定罪1；同样，大罪不能因其大，而使真心悔改之人沉沦2。
1: 罗6:23；5:12；太12:36；2: 赛55:7；罗8:1；赛1:16、18
15.4 As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;1 so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.2
1 Rom 6:23; 5:12; Mt 12:36; 2 Isa 55:7; Rom 8:1; Isa 1:16, 18.
在前一章节，我们的信条明确了悔改对于救恩的必需性。在此，信条继续警告我们每一桩罪的后果，也同时安慰那些真心悔改的人。我们从这一章节可学到以下两点。
Having established, in the previous paragraph, the necessity of repentance for salvation, our confession goes on to warn about the consequence of every sin as well as to comfort those who truly repent of their sins. We learn two things from this paragraph.
首先，没有罪小到不会被定罪。圣经中的确有教导，罪有不同的程度，而不是所有的罪都是同样可憎的。有一些罪比其它的要严重。例如，在约翰福音19:11，耶稣告诉彼拉多，把祂交给彼拉多的那人之罪比彼拉多更重。罪之不同程度的教导自然指向了不同程度之惩罚的教导。在马太福音11:24，耶稣警告迦百农的人们，当审判的日子，所多玛所受的会比他们还容易受。无论如何，所有罪，没有例外，都应得受到地狱中永远的惩罚。
First, no sin is so small that it does not deserve damnation. Now it is true that the Bible teaches that there are degrees of sin and that not all sin is equally heinous. Some sins are worse than others. For example in John 19:11, Jesus told Pilate that the one who had delivered Him up had committed a greater sin than Pilate. This doctrine of degrees of sin naturally leads to the doctrine of degrees of punishment. In Matthew 11:24, Jesus warned the people of Capernaum that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for them. Nevertheless, every sin, without exception, deserves to be punished in hell forever.
而之所以如此的原因是，每一桩罪都不亚于对宇宙中最高权威——创造天地的上帝——的背叛与叛逆。当一个人犯罪时，他选择自己的旨意而非上帝的旨意，本质上便是在说他比上帝都要至智，至公或无所不能。但这是亵渎，而他们因此该死。使徒保罗在罗马书6:23说“罪的工价乃是死”时，他并没有提到任何条件。
And the reason for this is that every sin is no less than an act of treason and rebellion against the highest authority in this universe, even the God who made heaven and earth. When a person sins, he chooses his own will over the will of Almighty God and is essentially saying that he is wiser and more righteous or powerful than God Himself. But that is blasphemy and thus worthy of death. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death,” without any qualification.
我们能从这一章节学到的第二点是，大罪不能因其大，而使真心悔改之人沉沦。圣经给了我们几个例子中的人，包括真信徒，得罪主犯了严重的罪，但依旧在悔改之后寻得赦免。大卫犯了奸淫、谋杀与骄傲之罪。彼得犯了三次不认基督与妄称上帝之名之罪。扫罗犯了逼迫基督徒，也便是基督本人的罪。有些在歌林多教会的人曾经是淫乱的、拜偶像的、奸淫的、做娈童的、亲男色的、 偷窃的、贪婪的、醉酒的、辱骂的或勒索的(林前6:9-11)。但这些人，还有其他许多真心悔改的人，都得救了。
The second thing we learn from this paragraph is that there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent. The Bible gives us several examples of people, including true believers, who sinned grievously against the Lord but who nevertheless found forgiveness when they repented. David was guilty of adultery and murder and pride. Peter was guilty of denying Christ three times and taking God’s name in vain. Saul was guilty of persecuting Christians and indeed Christ Himself. Some in the Corinthian church were once fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers and extortioners (1 Cor. 6:9-11). But all these and many others, who have truly repented, have been saved.
愿大卫在犯罪之后的经历也成为我们的。“我向你陈明我的罪，不隐瞒我的恶。我说‘我要向耶和华承认我的过犯’，你就赦免我的罪恶。”（诗32:5）
May David’s experience after he sinned be ours as well. “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” (Ps 32:5)
