《西敏信条教牧简释 9.5》

Posted on Sep 3, 2020 by admin

9.5 惟独在得荣耀的状态中,上帝使人的意志达于完全、不变的唯独行善自由1。
1 弗4:13;来12:23;约壹3:2;犹24。

9.5 The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.1
1 Eph 4:13; Heb 12:23; 1 Jn 3:2; Jude 24.

之前,在这一章里,我们认识到自由意志不是选择在脑海里呈现的任何事情之绝对能力,而且更少选择并不代表你的意志有了更少的自由。这些常见的错误想法将在最后论得荣耀状态这一章节里更充分地被显示出。

Earlier in this Chapter, we noted that free will is not the absolute ability to choose anything that comes to your mind, and that having less choices does not mean that your will is less free. These commonly mistaken ideas are most amply demonstrated in this last paragraph on the will in the state of glory.

在天堂的完美状态里,我们不会被带回到我们没有犯罪却还能犯罪(posse peccare)那起初无罪的状态,但是我们将是完全无罪的,也完全不能犯罪(non posse peccare),而这本身是不可变的。我们在天堂里的永恒喜悦取决于我们不再能选择,也不再可能受到堕落入罪的威胁而所带来的忧患煎熬这个事实。我们不会像亚当、夏娃一样经验试用,但我们终于能完全肯定而变成有基督的正义,连点滴的罪恶或诱惑我们不再会体会,并永远只能选择做出何为上帝的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意(罗12:2)。

In the perfection of heaven, we will not be brought back into the initial state of innocency in which we are without sin but still able to sin (posse peccare), but we will be both completely devoid of sin as well as entirely unable to sin (non posse peccare), and immutably (or unchangeably) so. Our eternal happiness in heaven depends upon this fact that the threat of falling into sin and suffering the misery it brings will no longer remain a choice or a possibility to us. We will not be under probation like Adam and Eve were, but we will be fully and finally confirmed in and transformed into the righteousness of Christ, never again to know the slightest taint of sin or even its temptation, and forever able to choose and to do only what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God (Rom 12:2).

换言之,得荣耀的状态是我们变得完全像基督、得着祂无疵的正义的时候,因为到时我们必得见祂的真体(弗4:13;约一3:2)。在天堂里,我们的意志会完全被效法于上帝本身的意志,而祂自己不只是不能犯罪,而且还绝然反对罪恶,甚至祂对罪恶的唯一感应就是厌恨它、完全根除它。

In other words, the state of glory is where we become fully like Christ in his impeccable righteousness, because then we will see Christ as he is (Eph. 4:13; 1 John 3:2). Heaven is where our wills are most perfectly conformed to God’s own will, who is himself not only incapable of sin, but so absolutely contrary to it that his only reaction to sin can be to hate and eradicate every trace of it.

这在神学的范围里是很重要的,能帮我们了解意志本身的本质。反对意志的堕落此改革教义的人常常会指着说,如果一个人不能选择行善,那么他就缺乏了自由的意志,也因此不应该为了自己只能行恶而不能行善而自负。但如果那是真的,那么相反的也对——就是说,上帝因为不能选择行恶,就必须缺乏自由的意志,而不能说祂是为自己只行善而负责的(也不该为此而称颂)!这也意味到,在我们之前的状态当中,我们在天堂里是最不自由的!这肯定是有所误解的!

This is important theologically to help us to understand the nature of the will itself. Opponents of the Reformed doctrine of the fallen will often claim that if one is unable to choose to do good, then he does not have free will and thus also cannot be responsible for failing to do good and only doing evil. But if that is true, then the reverse must also be true—that since God cannot choose to do evil, he must therefore not have free will and so is not responsible (and so should not be praised) for only doing what is good! This also means that, of all our previous states, we will actually be the least free in heaven! Surely there must be some misunderstanding here!

但事非如此——我们在天堂里能享有最多的自由,比亚当与夏娃所经受的还多——永远从罪恶所带来的诈欺、分心、诱惑与处罚之惧怕得到自由;并且能以唯能选择尽心、尽性、尽力、尽意地爱祂的意志,自由地去服侍上帝、以上帝为乐。那将来是如何的荣耀(难怪也把它称为“荣耀地状态”)!赞美上帝——因为“自由意志”并不代表我们永远还能犯罪再堕落!

But no, we will be most free in heaven, even more than Adam and Eve—free forever from the deception, distraction, and enticements of sin and the fear of its punishment; and free to serve and enjoy God with a will which is able to choose no other than to love him with all the heart, soul, strength, and mind. What a glorious day that will be (and no wonder it is called the state of glory)! Praise the Lord that “free will” does not mean that we will forever still be able to sin and fall again!

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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