70. 聖徒的恆忍 Perseverance of The Saints
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.188 , 更新傳道會出版
我們大都認識一些這樣的人，他們說自己相信基督，也公開表達自己的信仰，甚至在教會熱心事奉，但後來卻否定了信仰，在屬靈上失落了。這些列子導使我們懷疑：一個得救的人會不會失去他的救恩？信徒會不會有背道的危險？
羅馬天主教認為，人有可能失去救恩。如果人犯了大罪（mortalsin）,會使他喪失裏面那使他稱義的恩典。如果這人在沒有機會透過懺悔的聖禮恢覆這恩典之前就去世了，他便會下地獄。
很多基督徒也相信，救恩是有可能失去的。希伯來書六章的警告和保羅所說的被棄絕（林前9：27），以及掃羅王和其它一些聖經人物的例子，都使一些人認為，人有可能完全跌倒而失落恩典。但改革宗神學教導的卻是聖徒的恒忍（perseverance of the
saints），這教義有時又稱作永遠的保證。他實際是教導說，如果我們有了得救的信心，便永遠不會失去它，如果我們失去它，就證明我們從來沒有這種信心。誠如使徒約翰說的：「他們從我們中間出去，卻不是屬我們的；若是屬我們的，就必仍舊與我們同在；他們出去，顯明都不是屬我們的。」（約壹2:19）
我們都知道，有些人會因為喜歡基督教的某些道理來到教會，卻沒有真正相信基督，他也許是喜歡圍契的活動而來的，於是「歸信」了那些活動，而非歸信基督，這種人頗像撒種比喻中所描述的：
有一個撒種的出去撒種。撒的時候，有落在路旁的，被人踐踏，天上的飛鳥又來吃盡了；有落在磐石上的，一出來就枯幹了，因為得不著滋潤；有落在荊棘裏的，荊棘一同生長，把他擠住了；又有落在好土裏的，生長起來，結實百倍。（路8：5～8）
這比喻指出，有些人起初相信，但後來就離開了，或許這種人「信」得不正確或不真實，他們的信仰與改革宗神學所堅信的不同。只有落在好土裏的種子，才能結出順服的果子來。耶穌形容這種人是聽了道，「持守在誠實善良的心裏」（路8：15），他們的信仰源自真正重生的心靈。
聖徒恒忍的教義，著重的不是信徒自己堅守信仰的能力，而是神保守我們的應許。保羅寫道：「我深信，那在你們心裏動了善工的必成全這工，直到耶穌基督的日子。」（腓1：6）基督徒是靠著恩典，且是惟靠恩典才能恒忍。神必完成他所開始的工作，他能確保自己揀選的旨意不落空。
羅馬書八章進一步見證這一點：「預先所定下的人，又召他們來；所召來的人，又稱他們為義；所稱為義的人，又叫他們得榮耀。」（羅8：30）保羅接著又說，無論「是高處的、是低處的。是別的受造之物，都不能教我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裏的。」羅8：39）
我們有保證，是因為救恩屬乎耶和華，而我們都是他的傑作，他將聖靈賜給每一位信徒作為應許，表明他創始也必會成終。它也藉賜聖靈給每一個信徒為印記，在我們身上留下一個不可磨滅的記號，算作是他個人付的定銀，以保證交易一定會完成。
最後一個保證是基督的大祭司工作，他會不斷地為我們代禱一樣，一如他為彼得（而不是為猶大）的覆興代禱一樣，在我們軟弱跌倒時，他也會為我們的覆興祈禱。我們可能會跌倒一時，但不會全然跌倒，或永遠跌倒爬不起來。耶穌當年在樓房上曾禱告說：「我與他們同在的時候，因你所賜給我的名保守了他們，我也護衛了他們；其中除了那滅亡之子，沒有一個滅亡的，好叫經上的話得應驗。 」（約17：12）只有猶大從一開始就是滅亡之子，他的信仰宣告是假的，所以他失落了。但真正的信徒是不可能從神手中被奪走的（約10：27～30）
總結
1. 很多人宣稱自己相信基督，後來卻離棄他。
2. 聖徒蒙保守的根據源自神對聖徒恒忍的應許。
3. 神會完成蒙揀選者的救恩。
4. 那些離棄真道的人從來就不是真信徒。
5. 我們可以對自己的得救充滿確信，因為我們都受了聖靈的印記，他是神必完成我們救恩的保證。
6. 基督的代禱使我們得以蒙保守不失落。
思考經文
約6：35-40；羅8：31--39；腓1：6；提後2：14--19；來9：11--15
70.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Most
of us know people who have made a profession of faith in Christ and who have
perhaps even made a strong display of faith, involving themselves deeply in the
life and ministry of the church, only to later repudiate that faith and become
spiritual dropouts. Such evidence always raises the question, can a person once
saved lose his salvation? Is apostasy a clear and present danger for the
believer?
The
Roman Catholic church teaches that people can and do lose their salvation. If a
person commits a mortal sin, such sin kills the grace of justification that
inhabits his soul. If he dies before being restored to a state of grace via the
sacrament of penance, he will go to hell.
Many
Protestants also believe that it is possible to lose one’s salvation. The
warnings of Hebrews 6 and Paul’s concern about becoming “disqualified” (1
Corinthians 9:27), as well as the examples of King Saul and others, have led
some to conclude that people can fall fully and finally from grace. On the other
hand, Reformed theology teaches the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.
This doctrine is sometimes called “eternal security.” In essence the doctrine
teaches that if you have saving faith you will never lose it, and if you lose
it, you never had it. As John writes, “They went out from us, but they were not
of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they
went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1
John 2:19).
We
know it is possible for people to be enamored by certain elements of
Christianity without ever embracing Christ Himself. Perhaps a young person is
attracted to a fun and stimulating youth group that has an
appealing
program. The person may be “converted” to the program without being converted
to Christ. Such a person may be like those pictured in the parable of the
sower:
A
sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and
it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock;
and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And
some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But
others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold. (Luke
8:5-8)
The
parable may refer to those who believed at first, but afterwards fell away, or
it may mean that those who “believed” had a false or spurious faith, as
Reformed theology maintains. Only the seed that falls on the good ground yields
the fruit of obedience. Jesus describes these as ones who hear the word “with a
noble and good heart” (Luke 8:15). Their faith proceeds from a truly regenerate
heart.
The
doctrine of perseverance does not rest on our ability to persevere, even if we
are regenerate. Rather, it rests on the promise of God to preserve us. Paul
writes to the Philippians, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”
(Philippians 1:6). It is by grace and grace alone that Christians persevere.
God finishes what He begins. He insures that His purposes in election are not
frustrated.
The
golden chain of Romans 8 gives further testimony to this hope. “Moreover whom
He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). Paul goes on to
declare that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
We
have security because salvation is of the Lord and we are His craftsmanship. He
gives the Holy Spirit to every believer as a promise that He will fulfill what
He begins. He has likewise sealed every believer by the Holy Spirit. He has
marked us with an indelible mark and given His personal down payment that
guarantees He will finish the transaction.
A
final basis of confidence is found in the high priestly work of Christ, who
intercedes for us. Just as Jesus prayed for the restoration of Peter (and
not
for Judas), so He prays for our restoration when we stumble and fall. We may
fall for a season but never fully or finally fall away. Jesus prayed in the
upper room, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.
Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of
perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12). Only Judas, who
was a son of perdition from the beginning, whose profession of faith was
spurious, was lost. Those who are truly believers cannot be snatched from God’s
hand (John 10:27-30).
Summary
1.
Many people make a profession of faith in Christ and later repudiate Him.
2.
Perseverance of the saints rests on the promises of God to preserve the saints.
3.
God will bring to completion the salvation of the elect.
4.
Those who depart from the faith were never really believers.
5. We
can have confidence in our salvation because we have been sealed with the Holy
Spirit. He is God’s pledge to bring our salvation to completion.
6.
The intercession of Christ is for our preservation.
Biblical
passages for reflection:
John
6:35-40 Romans 8:31-39 Philippians 1:6 2 Timothy 2:14-19 Hebrews 9:11-15
