聖靈今天在做什麼工作？What Does theSpirit Do Today?
作者：麥克‧霍頓（Michael Horton）
駱鴻銘譯自：
所有美善的恩賜都是從父那裡來的，是靠著聖靈在聖子裡賜下的。在三一神所有的工作裡，聖靈都是負責完成工作的那一位。祂特別在被造界裡工作，祂是賜生命的靈，是神性中負責結出果子的媒介（agent）。聖父今天乃是藉著祂的道向我們說話。基督，即成了肉身的道，是聖父救贖話語的內容。默示聖經的聖靈，如今在我們裡面工作，使我們明白並領受福音，結出聖靈的果子。祂不止在我們裡面工作，聖靈也實際住在我們裡面，作為我們最終得救的憑據（頭期款）。All good gifts come to us from the Father, in the Son,
by the Spirit. In every work of the Trinity, the Spirit is the one who brings
the work to completion. He is especially associated with working within
creation as the life-giving and fruit-producing agent of the Godhead. The
Father speaks to us today through his Word. Christ, the Incarnate Word, is also
the content of the Father’s saving speech. The Holy Spirit, who inspired
Scripture, is at work within us to understand and embrace the gospel and to
bear the fruit of the Spirit. Not only at work within us, the Holy Spirit
actually indwells us as the down payment on our final salvation.
關於聖靈今天如何在我們生命中工作，有四個常見的問題。以下是對這些問題的回答：Following are answers to four common questions people
have regarding how the Spirit works in our lives today:
1. 什麼是真正的基督徒經歷？1. What is authentic Christian experience?
真正的基督徒經歷，其範圍涵蓋了所有的人類處境和情感，從與基督和祂的教會相交團契的豐盛祝福裡所獲得的喜樂與活力，到每天活在這個相交團契裡的平凡單調所導致的百無聊賴與無動於衷，到我們日復一日與同樣的罪爭戰，基督卻看似不在場，而使我們前進一步卻後退兩步所帶來的憂傷和沮喪，都是基督徒經歷的一部分。Authentic Christian experience runs the full spectrum
of human circumstances and emotion, from joy and vigor in the rich blessings of
profound communion with Christ and his church, to apathetic listlessness at the
humdrum monotony of daily existence within that communion, to sorrow and
frustration over the seeming absence of Christ as we struggle with the same
sins day in and day out, taking two steps back for every step forward.
最重要的是，真正的基督徒經歷必須由聖經——上帝成文的話——來判定。譬如，在詩篇中我們可以用各種情感來表達我們的讚美、哀傷、感恩和疑問。儘管我們在基督徒生活中的經驗會有變化，重要的是要記得，天父在基督裡向信徒宣告的，並藉著聖靈所實現的，是永不改變的。Foremost, authentic Christian experience is determined
by the written Word. In the Psalms, for example, we have a wide range of emotions
with which to express our praise, laments, thanksgiving, and questions. While
our experience within the Christian life will vary, it’s important to remember
that what the Father has declared to the believer in Christ and made effectual
through the Spirit will never change.
當父神藉著耶穌的寶血赦免我們的罪，將基督所贏得的賜給我們、並宣告我們為義，而聖靈則藉著洗禮和聖餐的餅與杯加以實現時，我們可以得到保證，就是無論我們感覺如何，我們掙扎多麼痛苦，靠著祂永不改變的諭旨，我們的赦罪和稱義永遠是有保障的。無論我們地上的朝聖之旅是簡單、是困難，或是彼此交織，我們都會不斷認識到，這條路的終點必定是那偉大又說不出來的、永遠與主同在的恩福。When the Father has forgiven our sins by the blood of
Jesus, declared us righteous by giving to us what Christ has earned, and the
Holy Spirit has made that effective by baptism and the bread and wine of the
Supper, we can be assured that no matter how we feel or how greatly we
struggle, our forgiveness and righteousness are forever secured by his
unchangeable decree. Whether our earthly pilgrimage is easy, hard, or a complex
terrain of both, we can continue on knowing that the road certainly ends in the
great and unspeakable bliss of finally being in the presence of the Lord
forever.
2. 上帝今天在哪裡說話？2. Where does God speak today?
上帝今天乃是透過祂的道來說話，包括宣講的道和成文的道。藉著聖道，聖靈使人扎心知罪，信靠基督，並帶來信仰和生活所需要的一切教導。即便是洗禮和主的晚餐，也是從聖靈藉著聖道獲得它們的果效。聖禮作為祂諸多應許的記號和印記，向我們保證了上帝的恩惠。當我們有規律地曝露在上帝的聖道之下，被上帝的聖道所塑造，我們就會用適當的「鏡片」來看上帝、看我們自己、看彼此，也看待我們的世界。即使是在上帝的聖道所沒有直接論到的事情上，被聖經所充填的心智，仍然有能力運用敬虔的判斷。God speaks today through his Word, both preached and
written. Through this Word the Spirit brings conviction of sin, faith in
Christ, and instruction in everything necessary for faith and life. Even
baptism and the Lord’s Supper receive their efficacy from the Spirit through
the Word. As signs and seals of his promises, the sacraments assure us of God’s
favor. Shaped by regular exposure to God’s Word, we are able to view God,
ourselves, each other, and our world with the proper “spectacles.” Even in
matters not directly addressed by God’s Word, the Scripture-saturated mind and
heart are able to exercise godly discernment.
3. 上帝今天在哪裡動工？3. Where does God work today?
儘管上帝樂於藉著各種途徑（生活處境、書籍、朋友，等等）來工作，重要的是要區分祂要如何動工，以及祂如何應許要動哪些工？祂的主權和能力意味著祂可以隨祂的旨意用各種方法，在任何地方工作，但是聖經告訴我們，祂已經應許要透過聖靈、藉著宣講的道，以及洗禮和聖餐這兩個聖禮，在基督徒的內心和生命中運行。儘管基督徒研討會、小組查經、各種事奉，以及在基督徒群體裡與朋友相交團契，可以在基督徒生活中鼓勵我們、建造我們，但是那位使用律法和福音的話語（受按立的牧者的講道），使基督徒能更愛父神，也讓基督徒能盡心、盡性、盡意越來越像基督的，是聖靈。聖靈也能透過長老和執事的事奉，以及聖徒之間更廣泛的相通來行事。While God is pleased to work through various means
(life circumstances, books, friends, and so on), it’s important to distinguish how he can work from how he
has promised to work. His sovereignty and power mean that he is able to work
how and wherever he will, but Scripture shows us that he has promised to work
in the hearts and lives of Christians by the Holy Spirit through the preached
Word and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. While Christian
conferences, Bible studies, ministries, and fellowship with friends in
community can all serve to encourage and edify us in the Christian life, it’s
the Holy Spirit who takes the words of law and gospel, preached by God’s
ordained ministers, and uses them to bring about greater love of the Father and
Christlikeness in the hearts, souls, and minds of believers. The Spirit also
works through the ministry of elders and deacons, as well as the broader
fellowship of the saints.
4. 我們今天在哪裡可以看到神蹟奇事？4. Where can we see signs and wonders today?
我們在每週的主日崇拜中就可以看到神蹟奇事！基督赦罪和潔淨我們良心的神蹟，可以藉著洗禮表明出來；每當我們在聖餐當中吃餅喝杯，就可以看到我們參與基督的生、死、復活的奇事。儘管這些神蹟不怎麼驚人——當然不會像瞎子得見或死人復活那麼令人興奮——聖經向我們保證，父神是藉著這些平凡、簡單、毫不起眼的行動，應許要與我們會面。祂自己親自在場，用水洗去我們的罪，並用餅和杯來餵養我們的靈魂，向我們保證，祂永遠靠著聖靈與我們同在，直到世界的末了（太廿八20）。再次說，上帝可以隨祂高興，隨時隨地行作神蹟，但是我們可以期望，會在祂應許要與我們會面之處發現祂行作奇事的能力。We can see signs and wonders every week during the
divine service! The sign of Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing of our consciences is
shown through baptism; and the wonder of our participation in his life, death,
and resurrection is seen in the Lord’s Supper every time we eat the bread and
drink the wine. While these signs aren’t wondrous—certainly not as exciting as
watching blind men see or dead men rise—Scripture assures us that it’s through
these plain, simple, and unimpressive acts that the Father has promised to meet
us. He himself is there, washing away our sins with the water and feeding our
souls in the bread and wine, assuring us that he is with us always, by the
Spirit, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). Once again, God may work wonders
whenever and wherever he chooses, but we expect to find his wonder-working
power where he has promised to meet us.
改寫自《現代宗教改革》雜誌，2015年三月/四月號，〈麥克‧霍頓：聖靈問答〉一文。Adapted from “Q & A on the Spirit with Michael S.
Horton,” Modern Reformation Mar/April 2015.
