66. 因信稱義 Justification By Faith
作者: 史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul) 譯者: 姚錦榮
摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the
Christian Faith》p.180 , 更新傳道會出版
馬丁路德宣稱，惟靠信心稱義是一條可以決定教會存亡的教義。在歷史 上，為了這條基督教改革運動中最重要的教義，而產生的護教之爭，絕不亞於為福音本身。
稱義的定義是，使不義之罪人在既公義又聖潔之神眼中成為義的作為。不義之人最需要的就是義，而罪人所缺少的義，卻因著基督為相信祂的罪人所提供的義補足了。惟靠信心稱義的意思乃是，人是惟獨因基督的義或功德而被算為義，並不是靠自己的良善或善行被稱為義。
因信稱義的討論焦點是集中在功德（merit) 與恩典 (grace) 這個問題上。因信稱義乃是說，我們所有的善行都不足為我們臝得稱義的功德。誠如 保羅所說：「所以，凡有血氣的，沒有一個因行律法能在神面前稱義，因為律法本是叫人知罪。」（羅3: 20) 稱義是個法庭上的用語，也就是說，當神把基督的義算作是我們的義時，我們便被稱為義、算為義、定為義了。 而信心乃是稱義的必要條件。
基督教神學堅信，信心是導使我們稱義的起因，藉著這種信，基督的功德臨到我們。但羅馬天主教神學卻相信，洗禮是引致稱義的途徑，而懺悔的聖禮則是第二個使我們與神復合的方法（羅馬天主教神學認為，懺悔是稱義的第二個要目，因為人的靈魂毀壞了— — 人因犯了大罪以致失去稱義的恩典） 。懺悔的聖禮要求罪人透過贖罪的努力，以赢得適合的功德 (congruousmerit )，好能被神稱義。羅馬天主教承認稱義需要靠信心，但不是單靠信心就夠了，善行也是不可或缺的條件。
稱義的信心是一種活潑的信心，而不是口頭上的信心。信心是一 個人為了得救而單單向基督發出的信靠。可以使人得救的信心乃是一種擁抱基督為主和救主的悔罪信心。
聖經說，我們不是靠著自己的好行為被稱為義，而是靠著因信心所得來之基督的義而被稱義。在這過程中，有一 些新東西加入了原有的東西裏；稱義像一 個合成的過程，因有基督的義加在我們裏面。我們是靠著神的「算給」稱義，神藉著信把基督的義算給我們。這不是一部「法律小說」，神是真的把基督的功德算給了已屬於祂的我們。我們的稱義真真正正是神「算給」的作為。
總結
1. 稱義是神把基督的義算給人，因而稱不義之罪人為義的作為。
2 .沒有人可以憑善行稱義 。
3 .信心是領受神將基督的功德算給我們的必要條件。
4 . 稱義需要有活潑且真實的信心，而不是只靠口頭上的信心。
思考經文：
羅3 : 21-28羅5 ：12-19林後5 ： 16-21加2 ：11-21弗2
：1-10腓3
：7- 11
66.
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Martin
Luther declared that justification by faith alone is the article upon which the
church stands or falls. This cardinal doctrine of the Protestant Reformation
was seen as the battleground for nothing less than the gospel itself.
Justification
may be defined as that act by which unjust sinners are made right in the sight
of a just and holy God. The supreme need of unjust persons is righteousness. It
is this lack of righteousness that is supplied by Christ on behalf of the
believing sinner. Justification by faith alone means
justification
by the righteousness or merit of Christ alone, not by our goodness or good
deeds.
The
issue of justification focuses on the question of merit and grace.
Justification by faith means that the works we do are not good enough to merit
justification. As Paul puts it, “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be
justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20). Justification is forensic. That is, we
are declared, counted, or reckoned to be righteous when God imputes the
righteousness of Christ to our account. The necessary condition for this is
faith.
Protestant
theology affirms that faith is the instrumental cause of justification in that
faith is the means by which the merits of Christ are appropriated to us. Roman
Catholic theology teaches that baptism is the primary instrumental cause of
justification and that the sacrament of penance is the secondary, restorative
cause. (Roman Catholic theology views penance as the second plank of
justification for those who have made shipwreck of their souls—those who have
lost the grace of justification by committing mortal sin.) The sacrament of
penance requires works of satisfaction by which human beings achieve congruous
merit for justification. The Roman Catholic view affirms that justification is
by faith, but denies that it is by faith alone, adding good works as a
necessary condition.
The
faith that justifies is a living faith, not an empty profession of faith. Faith
is a personal trust that clings to Christ alone for salvation. Saving faith is
also a penitent faith that embraces Christ as both Savior and Lord.
The
Bible says that we are not justified by our own good works, but by what is
added to us by faith, namely the righteousness of Christ. In a synthesis,
something new is added to something basic. Our justification is a synthesis
because we have the righteousness of Christ added to us. Our justification is
by imputation. God transfers to us, by faith, the righteousness of Christ. This
is not a “legal fiction” because God ascribes to us the real merit of Christ,
to whom we now belong. It is a real imputation.
Summary
1.
Justification is an act of God whereby He declares unjust sinners to be just
after He has imputed to them the righteousness of Christ.
2. No one can earn justification by good
works.
3.
Faith is the necessary condition to receive the imputation of the merits of
Christ.
4.
Justification requires a living and real faith, not a mere profession of faith.
Biblical
passages for reflection:
Romans
3:21-28 Romans 5:12-19 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Galatians 2:11-21 Ephesians 2:1-10
Philippians 3:7-11