極好的叛逆者Glorious Traitors

作者: Michael Horton 譯者: Maria Marta
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/glorious-traitors/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/LHCouuPziCf

世俗人文主義無法解釋，人類存在是一件很了不起的事情還是一場悲劇。然而，創造和墮落的聖經故事為肯定人類的尊嚴和敗壞提供了依據。我們「在亞當裡」出生來到世上，也就是說，我們是極好的叛逆者。

每一方面都是極好的

上帝是為了祂自己的榮耀創造我們。我們是為了祂存在，而非祂是為了我們存在。然而，與其他受造物有別，我們是按照上帝的形像被造的，被造的目的乃為與祂建立特殊的關系，「上帝按祂自己的形像賦予我們知識、公義和真聖潔，並把祂的律法寫在我們心裡，使我們有能力遵行上帝的律法」（《威斯敏斯特信仰告白》四2）。根據聖經的真理，人既非半個神，更非惡魔，而是被賦予上帝的總督之皇家尊嚴的受造物。

亞當和夏娃都是按照上帝的形象受造的，但上帝設立亞當為人類的盟約的頭。亞當會由衷感恩地承認他對對上帝和上帝啟示的依靠？抑或他會謀求篡奪上帝的王權，自我決定相信什麼，和如何生活？

注意上面的威斯敏斯特信仰告白引述所反映的人類本性之崇高觀點。我們被造，具備遵行上帝律法的能力，「然而人處於有可能幹犯律法的狀態中」，信仰告白補充說，「上帝也讓他們按著自己的意志行事；所以這意志是會改變的 。除了這在他們心中所寫下的律法以外，他們還領受『不可吃分別善惡樹上果子』的命令； 他們遵守這命令時，就能享受與上帝相交，就能享受與上帝相交的福樂，又能統治被造之物 。」

亞當和夏娃並不是中立的; 他們是面向上帝和上帝的公義律法的。除了這種自由選擇之外，亞當和夏娃還享受上帝的自然知識。他們天生盡心、盡意、盡性、盡力愛上帝。上帝創造了沒有任何缺陷或弱點的人類。全人，包括身體、其熱情（強烈的感情）、靈魂、與智慧都反映出上帝的榮耀。

每一方面都是墮落的

在羅馬書第一章中（《聖經新譯本》），保羅認為「神的震怒，從天上向所有不虔不義的人顯露出來，就是向那些以不義壓制真理的人顯露出來」（18節）。你不能將理性與道德分開。自從墮落以來，我們一直在歪曲、曲解、壓制那些透過普遍啟示和特殊啟示向我們顯明的真理。不信並不是缺乏證據的結果。藉著上帝的創造之工，每個人都知道上帝的存在和祂那些看不見的屬性，所以我們「沒有辦法推諉」（19 – 20節）。上帝並非沒有啟示自己，而是人類「不尊他為　神，也不感謝他」（21節）。要由衷感恩，就要承認依靠，但這恰恰是我們的墮落之心不願意做的事。我們不想反映上帝的榮耀; 我們想擁有唯獨屬於上帝的榮耀。我們不想成為一個形象，乃想成為原型。我們壓制真理，好使我們自己能夠成為我們自己的造物主和主，正如保羅在長篇描述中所指出的，人類為了拒絕向上帝承擔責任，將會處於的狀態（22 – 32節）。

全然敗壞的意思並非指我們已敗壞到所能達到的極限。畢竟，即使外邦人有時亦遵循他們的良心指示（羅二14–16）。更準確地說，全然敗壞指的是：正如上帝的形象覆蓋著我們整個人，同樣罪亦幹擾著我們整個人。構成我們人性的每一部份都受到墮落的影響。我們不能脫離我們的道德束縛而運用我們的理智、意願、或努力前進（羅三9–20）。但至少我們的意志是自由的，對嗎？保羅回答：「沒有義人，連一個也沒有。」 我們的思想呢？保羅寫道：「沒有明白的」 我們的心？保羅補充說：「沒有尋求 神的」（羅三10–11）。我們知道光憑人的本性就足以定我們的罪，因此我們只能藉著上帝在福音中賜給我們的特殊啟示而得救（羅三21–31）。創造和墮落的故事為解釋人類的尊嚴和敗壞提供了辯護的基礎，因此，所有人都需要基督，基督是上帝的真實形象（林後四4；西一15）。


本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。

Glorious Traitors

FROM Michael Horton


Secular humanism has no way of explaining either the greatness or the tragedy of human existence. However, the biblical story of creation and the fall provides the basis for affirming both human dignity and depravity. We are born into the world “in Adam,” that is, as glorious traitors.

Glorious in Every Way

God created us for His glory. We exist for Him, not He for us. And yet, unlike the rest of creation, we were created in God’s image for a special relationship with Him, naturally “endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image; having the law of God written in [our] hearts, and power to fulfill it” (Westminster Confession of Faith 4.2). According to Scripture, human beings are neither semi-divine nor demonic, but creatures who have been given a royal dignity as God’s viceroys.

Adam and Eve were both created in God’s image, but God made Adam the federal head of the human race. Would Adam acknowledge gratefully his dependence on God and His revelation? Or would he seek to usurp God’s throne, determining for himself what he would believe and how he would live?

Notice the high view of human nature that the above quotation from the Westminster Confession reflects. We were created with the power to fulfill God’s law “yet under a possibility of transgressing,” the confession adds, “being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Along with this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.”

Adam and Eve were not neutral; they were oriented toward God and His righteous law. Besides this freedom of choice, Adam and Eve enjoyed a natural knowledge of God. By nature they loved God with their whole mind, soul, heart, and strength. God did not create man with any defect or weakness. The glory of God was reflected in the whole person: the body and its passions as well as the soul and the intellect.

Fallen in Every Way

In Romans 1, Paul argues that the “wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (v. 18). You can’t separate reason from ethics. Ever since the fall, we have been twisting, distorting, and suppressing the truth that comes to us through general and special revelation. Unbelief is not the result of a lack of evidence. Everyone knows God’s existence and invisible attributes through His works in creation, “so they are without excuse” (vv. 19–20). It is not that God fails to reveal Himself, but that humanity does “not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (v. 21). To be grateful is to acknowledge dependence, but that is precisely what our fallen hearts do not want to do. We do not want to reflect God’s glory; we want to possess the glory that is God’s alone. We do not want to be an image, but the original. We suppress the truth so that we can become our own creators and lords, as Paul indicates in his description of the lengths humanity will go to in order to deny accountability to God (vv. 22–32).

Total depravity does not mean that we are as bad as we can possibly be. After all, even Gentiles sometimes follow the dictates of their conscience (Rom. 2:14–16). Rather, it means that just as God’s image encompasses our whole self, the bondage of sin does as well. All aspects of our human constituent nature have been affected by the fall. We cannot reason, will, or work our way out of our moral bondage (3:9–20). But at least our wills are free, right? Paul replies, “There is no one righteous, no, not one.” What about our minds? No, Paul writes, “no one understands.” Our hearts? Paul adds, “no one seeks for God” (Rom. 3:10–11). While we know by nature enough to condemn us, we can only be saved by the special revelation that God gives us in the gospel (3:21–31). The story of creation and the fall presents an apologetic basis for explaining both the dignity and depravity of man, and thus why all people are in need of Christ, who is the true image of God (2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15).

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

羞恥的重壓   The Weight of Shame

作者: Burk Parsons譯者:  Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/weight-shame/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/bLABzfJ2b78

羞恥----我們都會感覺到，或者我們至少應該感覺到。我們所有人都有罪，我們的罪帶來羞恥。盡管羞恥這一詞幾乎從我們的文化詞彙中消失了,  而且在很大程度上,  在許多教會裡受到忽略,  盡管如此，羞恥的感覺依然存在，因此我們必須承認與面對。

倘若我們對自己誠實，更重要的是對上帝誠實，那麼我們不得不承認，因爲我們的罪, 我們感到羞恥。無論私下犯罪, 還是公開犯罪------甚至假裝沒有犯罪----我們的羞恥感都是真實的。我們感到羞恥,  因爲上帝按著祂的恩典創造人類,  人具備這種對犯罪後果感到羞恥的能力。約翰加爾文曾寫道，「只有那些學會成為對自己深感不滿，對自己的苦惱感到窘迫和羞恥的人,  才真正明白基督教的福音。」倘若我們對自己的罪從不真正感到羞恥，那麼我們從未真正悔改過。因爲只有當我們意識到自己是多麽卑劣的人時，我們才能高唱「奇異恩典」，才能體會這首甜美詩歌的真正涵義。

甚至當我們還是孩童的時候------從我們生命中知道做錯事的那一刻起------我們會羞愧得臉紅耳熱，把頭垂下。問題不是我們是否感到羞愧，而是我們所做的令我們感到羞恥的事。一些人想方設法隱藏自己的羞恥；一些人企圖盡可能久地無視自己的羞恥；一些人變得鐵石心腸,  對自己的羞恥無動於衷；一些人沈溺於羞恥,  過著寡言絕望的生活。然而，身爲基督徒，我們有一個地方能對付我們的羞恥------十字架底下。我們有一位救贖主，祂將我們的恥辱帶到十字架上。因此我們頌唱：「祂被人辱被人譏，代替我站罪人地；賜我生命賜我力。哈利路亞！何等救主！」

耶穌基督不僅在將來把我們從上帝的憤怒和地獄中拯救出來，而且現在就把我們在罪咎和羞恥的泥潭打滾中拯救出來。耶穌基督應許給我們的，不单单是未來的永恒生命，而且从現在就開始的豐盛的生命。耶穌來到世上生活，受死，不僅是爲我們的罪孽，而且也是爲我們的罪的羞恥。耶穌忍受、鄙視十字架的羞辱，好叫我們不必沈溺於羞恥當中。上帝吩咐我們要把我們的羞恥帶給祂，而撒旦卻想要我們用余生來承受我們羞恥的重壓，並沈溺其中，不能自拔。如果我們每天都活在昨天的羞恥當中, 每天都擔心明天的恥辱，那麼今天我們決不會經曆到在基督𥚃的豐盛生命的喜樂。因此，讓我們擡起緊盯著恥辱的疲憊眼睛，專一注視耶穌，就是我們信心的創始者和完成者。

本文原刊于Tabletalk雜誌2015年四月號。

The Weight of Shame

FROM Burk Parsons

Shame—we all feel it, or at least we should. We are all sinful, and our sin brings shame. Although shame has all but disappeared from our culture’s vocabulary and is largely ignored by many in the church, it exists nonetheless and must be recognized and reckoned with.

If we are honest with ourselves, and more importantly, honest with God, we cannot help but admit that we feel shame as a result of our sin. Whether we sin in private or in public—and whether we perhaps even pretend not to have it—shame is undeniably real. We feel shame because God in His grace created all human beings with the capacity to feel shame as a consequence of their sin. John Calvin wrote, “Only those who have learned well to be earnestly dissatisfied with themselves, and to be confounded with shame at their wretchedness truly understand the Christian gospel.” If we have never truly felt the shame of our sin, we have never truly repented of our sin. For it is only when we recognize what wretches we are that we are able to sing “Amazing Grace” and know what a sweet sound it truly is.

Even when we are young children—from the very first moment in our lives when we know we’ve done something wrong—we blush and hang our heads in shame. The question is not whether we feel shame, but what we do with our shame. Some try to hide their shame, some try to ignore it as long as possible, some grow callous and complacent toward their shame, and some wallow in their shame and live their lives in quiet desperation. However, as Christians, we have a place to go with our shame—the foot of the cross. We have a Redeemer who has taken our shame to the cross. So we sing, “Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood: Hallelujah, what a Savior.”

Jesus Christ redeemed us not only from His wrath and hell in the future but from having to wallow in the mire of guilt and shame in the present. Jesus promised us not only eternal life in the future, but abundant life that begins in the present. Jesus lived and died not only for the guilt of our sin but for the shame of our sin. He endured the cross, despising its shame, so that we would not have to wallow in shame. Our Lord calls us to bring our shame to Him, whereas Satan wants us to bear the constant weight of our shame and wallow in it for the rest of our lives. But if we live each day bearing the shame of yesterday, and we’re worried about the shame of tomorrow, we will never experience the joys of abundant life in Christ today.Ž Therefore, let us lift our weary eyes from gazing upon our shame and fix our eyes of Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

教會的意義何在？What is the Point of Church?

作者：J. K. Wall  譯者： 駱鴻銘

http://gentlereformation.com/2017/03/31/what-is-the-point-of-church/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2017/04/25/What_is_the_Point_of_Church.aspx

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105106813742373627205/posts/fW8zRbMyEJ7

上個月我和一位好友在一家餐廳吃飯時聊天，他說他已經好幾年沒有上教會了，他宣稱教會對真正的基督教信仰來說，並不是絕對必要的。換句話說，誰還需要教會呢？教會的意義是什麼？During a chat at a restaurant last month a dear friend, who hasn’t attended church regularly for years, claimed that church is unnecessary for true Christian faith. In other words, Who even needs the church? What’s the point?

對今天的許多人、尤其對千禧年世代來說，這是個相當迫切的問題。他們發現，基督徒是一群他們不想和他們有任何往來的人。他們對現代美國基督徒普遍的偽善和律法主義感到失望——至少這是我和這位朋友所接觸到的一些保守基督徒圈子的情形。他們尤其不喜歡許多福音派教會因為受到宗教右派運動的影響所產生出來的過度政治化的現象。而且他們不明白每個禮拜和一大群人到一棟建築裏，對他們的信仰會有什麼樣的作用。This is a burning question for many today, especially Millennials. They find Christians a group of people they don’t want to associate with. They are turned off by pervasive hypocrisy and legalism among modern American Christians—at least in the conservative circles in which this friend and I have moved. They especially don’t like the overt politicization of many evangelical churches by the Religious Right movement. And they don’t see why going to a building with a bunch of people once a week has any effect on what they believe.

當天晚上我沒有什麼好答案回答他。不過，以下是我當時應該說的：I didn’t have a great answer for my friend’s question that night. But here is what I should have said:

「如果你和其他人沒有發展出任何關係，你就不能算是個獨立的個人。」“You can’t be anything individually without having a relationship with others.”

沒有讀者，你就不能成為作家。沒有食客，你就不能成為廚子。沒有同事，你也不能成為經理。沒有使用者，你也無法成為工程師。同樣，沒有基督和其他基督徒，你也無法成為基督徒。You can’t be a writer without readers. You can’t be a chef without diners. You can’t be a manager without workers. You can’t be an engineer without users. In the same way, you can’t be a Christian without Christ and other Christians.

基本上，這就是凱波爾在他論教會的關鍵神學作品裏所給出的答案。這些作品最近（2016年11月）已經被翻譯成英文，由Acton Institute and Lexham Press出版，書名是：論教會（On the Church）。That’s the answer, essentially, that Abraham Kuyper gave in his key theological writings on the church. Recently translated into English, these writings were published in November under the title On the Church by the Acton Institute and Lexham Press.

本書讓我們看到凱波爾對教會所作的著名區分。他認為教會既是一個公共機構（institution），也是一個屬靈的有機體（spiritual organism）。凱波爾從一個年輕人，長大成為一個成熟的人。前者認為建制性的教會是沒有必要的，但後者卻認為教會是不可或缺的。然而那位年紀較大的凱波爾總是強調，教會這個機構存在的唯一理由是幫助基督徒這個屬靈的有機體，在世上執行基督的使命。This book shows us the roots of Kuyper’s famous distinction between the church as institution and the church as spiritual organism. Kuyper grew from a young man who saw little need for the institutional church to a mature man who viewed it as indispensable. Yet the older Kuyper always emphasized that the institution of the church is necessary only to help the spiritual organism of Christians carry out the mission of Christ on earth.

「我們相信的能力，其根源總是來自於兩個元素：首先是發現到、並承認主有一個身體；其次是認識到我們個人確實屬於這個身體」，凱波爾寫到。（註1）“Two elements always lie at the root of our ability to believe: first, the discovery and acknowledgment that there is a body of the Lord, and second, the awareness of assurance of our personal belonging to that body,” Kuyper wrote.[1]

對一種關係有信心Belief in a Relationship

凱波爾明白，基督信仰不只是相信一套觀念而已，更是信靠一種關係：基督已經把我們與祂、和其他信徒結合起來，形成一種緊密的繫縛關係，以至於我們如今是一個活生生的有機體的一部分。Kuyper understood that Christian faith is not merely belief in a set of concepts, but belief in a relationship: that Christ has joined us to Him and to other believers in such a close bond that we are now part of one, living organism.

「一個信徒有可能出於各種理由，覺得和一個有組織的教會失去了聯繫」，凱波爾補充說。「但是這種感覺總是會立刻、自動、毫不遲疑地引導它到無形教會那裏去。信靠基督卻未同時信靠基督的身體是無法想像的，也是不存在的。」（註2）“A believer may feel disconnected from an organized church for various reasons,” Kuyper added. “But it immediately, automatically, and without hesitation directs itself to the invisible church. Faith in Christ that at the same time is not faith toward his body is unthinkable and does not exist.”[2]

耶穌自己用兩個陳述總結了整本聖經：「你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主你的神」，以及「要愛人如己」（可十二30、31）。Jesus Himself summarized the entire Bible in these two statements: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)

若你從來不和上帝說話，不花時間和上帝在一起，你不可能愛上帝。在哪裏可以找到上帝呢？在教會裏。牧師會讓人明白上帝的道——就是耶穌，並且透過聖餐和洗禮的儀式，讓人摸到、看到、嚐到祂。You cannot love God if you never talk with Him and spend time with Him. And where is God found? At church, where God’s Word—that is, Jesus—is made understandable by the pastor and made tangible by the rituals of communion and baptism.

除非你從耶穌那裏領受到愛，並且把愛給予你的鄰舍，否則你就無法愛你的鄰舍。不是有許多非基督徒有愛他們鄰舍的行動嗎？絕對是的。但是他們的慈善和服事也是從基督來的，是普遍恩典的一部分，基督用普遍恩典來統管並賜福給全世界。You cannot love your neighbor unless you are receiving love from Jesus to give to your neighbor. Do many non-Christians act lovingly toward their neighbors? Absolutely. But their kindness and service also come from Christ, as part of the common grace with which He rules and blesses the whole world.

若你想要在世上看到更多的愛，那麼唯一合理的事是不斷回到愛的源頭。這個源頭就是教會，在那裏，基督一週復一週地，把自己賜給跟從祂的人，堅固他們的心。If you want to see more love in the world, then the only sensible thing to do is to keep going back to the source of that love. That source is the church, where Christ week after week makes Himself available to strengthen His followers.

自私與無私Selfishness vs. Selflessness

若基督沒有將祂的愛賜給世界，所有的人類社會就會變成徹底的自私。簡言之，在所有的人當中，就不會有關係存在。根據凱波爾的看法，所有的人都會以他們身旁的人為代價，尋求自己的好處。Without Christ giving out His love in the world, all of human society would be marked by utter selfishness. In short, there would be no relationships at all among humans. According to Kuyper, all people would seek their own benefit at the expense of those around them.

「若上帝沒有限制我們充滿罪惡的心，沒有用明光照進我們裏面的黑暗，沒有用憐憫來幫助我們，你會認為在地上會有任何的忠誠和正直，任何美德和奉獻，任何藝術或學習，任何的人類組織，或任何公義感嗎？」凱波爾寫到。「不，我告訴你，若全能的主離棄我們、任憑我們，所有的美德都將變成野蠻，所有的秩序都會變成混亂，所有的人都會沉淪到地獄的黑霧裏。」（註3）“Do you suppose that if God did not restrain our sinful heart, did not cast a ray of light into our darkness, and did not come to our aid with restraining compassion, there would be any fidelity and integrity, any virtue and dedication, any art or learning, or any human organization or sense of justice on earth?” Kuyper wrote. “No, I tell you, if the Lord Almighty had left us to our own devices, all virtue would have turned into brutishness, all order into chaos, and all humanity would have descended in the dense smoke of hell.”[3]

這個無處不在的自私就是撒但的國度。基督設立教會，且至今仍然藉著教會這個機構行事的理由，就是為了擊敗撒但的國度。This all-encompassing selfishness is the kingdom of Satan. Beating back this kingdom is the reason Christ established and still works through the church as an institution.

「因此，有形教會這個機構必須有三重目標」，凱波爾寫道。「首先，它的作用是把人從撒但那裏奪回來；其次，在我們人類全部的生活中，要把撒但趕逐出去；第三，使主的百姓活在他們君王的權柄之下，並為了祂榮耀的國度不斷長大成熟。」（註4）“Therefore, the institution of the visible church requires a threefold destination,” Kuyper wrote. “It serves, first, to reclaim people from Satan; second, to repel Satan in the organism of our entire human life; and third, to have the people of the Lord living under their King and maturing for the kingdom of his glory.”[4]

更簡單來說：教會是一支追求美善的軍隊，也是追求成長的社群。Put more simply: the church is an army for good and a community for growth.

教會是上帝的軍隊，要盡一切努力，把更多的人帶進到上帝的國度裏，並且在人生的每個領域驅除撒但的國度。與此同時，教會是上帝子民的社群，他們即使在今天也在耶穌的權柄下，享受一點點的、無私的新生命，並成為其模範。The church is the army of God fighting to bring more people into the kingdom of God and to repel the kingdom of Satan in every area of life. At the same time, the church is a community of the people of God who even now enjoy and exemplify a bit of the new selfless life under Jesus.

假冒為善的人怎麼說呢？What about the Hypocrites?

那些宣稱自己是義人，卻仍舊表現得冷酷無情的人，該怎麼說呢？那些說自己愛其他人，卻將選票投給提倡邪惡政策政客的人，又怎麼說呢？But what about those who claim to be righteous but are callous and cold? What about those that claim to love others but vote for politicians promoting pernicious policies?

凱波爾對這些問題也有他自己的答案。首先，他提到，當基督使一個人信靠祂的時候，祂從來不會頃刻之間就使這個人成聖。若是這樣，教會就只會充滿真正的信徒，和那些完全的義人。Kuyper had an answer for those questions too. First, he noted, when Christ brings a person to faith in Him, He never sanctifies that person all at once. If that were the case, then the church would be filled with only true believers and only those who were completely righteous.

但是，基督卻沒有這麼作，祂選擇讓跟從祂的人在信心上成長，逐漸教導他們更少地倚靠他們自己，卻更多地倚靠祂。But instead, Christ has chosen to grow His followers in their faith, gradually teaching them to rely less on themselves and more on Him.

無可避免的後果就是教會裏充斥著一群混雜的人：有些是真信徒，有些不是。即使是真信徒也有許多成長的功課要學習。每一個在教會裏的人，他們的行動經常會違背基督的義。The inevitable result is that the church is filled with a mix of people: some are true believers and some are not. Even the true believers have large amounts of growing to do. And everyone in church acts, fairly regularly, in ways that are contrary to Christ’s righteousness.

「因為這些事實」，凱波爾寫到，「很不幸、也很痛苦地，有形教會這個機構只會無可避免地表現出一種不完美的狀況......儘管基督真正的教會是純淨的，完美的，沒有摻雜的，但是有形教會這個機構卻是不純淨的，非常不完美的，也摻雜了各種不聖潔的成分。這不僅是實際的狀況，也是必然的狀況。」（註5）“Because of these realities,” Kuyper wrote, “it is sadly and painfully inevitable that the institution of the visible church can manifest itself only in an imperfect condition. … While the real church of Christ is pure, perfect, and unmixed, this institution of the visible church is impure, very imperfect, and mixed with various unholy parts. Not only is this so, but it must be so as well.”[5]

有這麼多基督徒是假冒為善的，是值得我們傷心的，甚至是應該受到批判的理由。但是這也是感謝上帝的憐憫和恩典的原因。The fact that so many Christians are hypocrites is a cause for sadness and even criticism. But it’s also a reason to thank God for his mercy and grace.

憐憫，是因為祂寬容忍耐我們所有的人。因為基督的義遮蓋我們，祂沒有要求我們必須馬上成為完美。相反，祂藉著聖靈行事，而祂的聖靈乃是透過我們生活的一點一滴使我們長大成人。而祂乃是使用教會來完成這事的。Mercy, because He is longsuffering with all of us. Because we are covered in Christ’s righteousness, He does not demand that we be immediately perfect. Rather, He works through Christ and His Spirit to grow us bit by bit throughout our lives. And He uses the church to do that.

恩典，是因為教會的不完美是上帝對我們的邀請，邀請我們使用我們的恩賜來服事教會裏有需要的人。許多時候，那些有需要的人缺少金錢和避難所。同樣常見的，尤其是在美國，那些有需要的人所真正缺乏的是愛、平安、深刻的人際關係。Grace, because the imperfections of the church are God’s invitation to use our gifts to serve the needy in the church. Many times, the needy lack money and shelter. But just as often, especially in America, what the needy truly lack is love, peace and deep relationships.

上帝應許使我們每個個人恢復本來的面目，藉著將其他人——可悲的是一些不完美的人——賜給我們，好叫我們去愛他們，去服事他們。當我們這樣行的時候，祂就撫平我們的一些不完美。God promises to make us who we truly are individually, by giving us others—tragically, imperfect others—to love and serve. As we do so, He smooths out some of our imperfections too.

因此，教會的意義何在？我在餐廳時應該這樣來回答我的朋友：So what is the point of church? Here is how I should have answered my friend in the restaurant:

教會的目的是壓制我們內心和世上的自私與殘酷。教會應當以愛心、公正、良善、和平、恩慈、服事，來擴展無私，這包括在基督徒當中，以及在我們身旁的人當中。“It is to roll back selfishness and cruelty in our hearts and in the world. It is to expand selflessness—in the forms of love, justice, goodness, peace, kindness and service—among Christians and everyone around us.”

若你希望世上的自私變少，而無私變得更多，那麼你就應該留在教會裏。If you want less selfishness and more selflessness in the world, then you should be in church.

註：

Abraham Kuyper, “Lord’s Day 21,” in On the Church, edited by John Halsey Wood Jr. and Andrew M. McGinnis, translated by Harry Van Dyke, Nelson D. Kloosterman, Todd M. Rester and Arjen Vreugdenhil (Lexham Press: Bellingham, Wash., 2016), 361.

[2] Ibid., 362

[3] Kuyper, “Twofold Fatherland,” in On the Church, 288

[4] Kuyper, “Lord’s Day 21,” in On the Church, 354

[5] Ibid., 352.

The is a guest post by J.K. Wall who is a writer in Indianapolis. His modernized abridgment of William Symington’s work, Messiah the Prince Revisited, was published in 2014 by Crown & Covenant Publications. You can e-mail him at jk.wall@gmail.com.