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.191 , 更新傳道會出版
人能不能確定自己是得救的呢？如果有人自稱清楚自己得救，別人也許會認為這人太過驕傲。但聖經的確吩咐我們，應該對自己得救與否有清楚的確據。彼得說：「所以弟兄們，應當更加殷勤，使你們所蒙的恩召和揀選堅定不移；你們若行這幾樣，就必永不失腳。」（彼後1：10）
我們有責任殷勤地找出自己得救的確據，這不是為滿足一己的好奇，而是能幫助我們在成聖生活中成長。不清楚自己得救與否的基督徒，經常面對各種懷疑，以致妨礙了自己與基督的同心同行。他們會在疑惑中跌倒，且會經常受到撒旦的攻擊，所以我們一定要能肯定自己的得救。論到得救的確據，我們通常會遇到下列四種不同的情況：
第一種情況：未得救的人知道自己未曾得救。這些人知道自己心中對神懷有敵意，也不想讓基督成為自己的救主。他們大膽地宣稱，自己不需要基督，這些人通常都是仇視福音的。
第二種情況：得救的人卻不知道自己已經得救。這些人活在恩典中，自己卻不知道。他們可能因在生命中必須經常不斷地與罪相爭，且因良心經常不安，以致懷疑自己沒有得救。這些人並不確知自己是蒙神揀選的人。
第三種情況：得救的人知道自己已經得救了，他們肯定自己是蒙神揀選和呼召的，他們清楚知道救恩的要求，也知道自己已經滿足了這些要求。他們相信聖靈在他們心中見證他們是神的兒女（羅8：16）
第四種情況：未得救的人，卻堅信自己已經得救。他們沒有得救，但以為自己擁有得救的確據。他們的確據是假的。
既然確據有假的，那麽我們怎麽知道自己是屬於第三種或第四種情況的人呢？要回答這個問題，我們就必須進一步了解第四種情況的人，並且想想他們怎麽會得到假的得救確據呢？
假的得救確據主要是來自錯誤的得救教義。比方說，普救論的思想理據可能是這樣的:
人人皆可得救。
我是人。
所以我已得救了。
這教義既然是錯的，因此這些人的確據也沒有穩固的基礎。
另一個使人得到錯誤得救確據的原因，是相信人靠行善可以進天堂。那些相信自己的良善足以滿足神的要求的人，不過是在自欺欺人而已。
那麽信仰純正的人又如何呢？他們得救的確據也可能是錯的嗎？是的。一個人很可能沒有得救，卻以為自己是得救的。我們可以用兩個方法來測驗我們的確據真不真：一方面，我們可以審查內心，看看自己對基督是否真的有信心，是否真正愛慕聖經中的基督。因為人若不重生，是不可能對基督存有這種愛的。
第二，我們必須審查自己信心的果子。我們不需要有完美的果子才能得著確據，但是我們的生命必須要能產生出順服的果子，來證明自己所宣告的信心。如果沒有果子，信心便不存在。有得救信心的人，就一定會生出信心的果子。
最後，我們可以從神的話語中去尋找確據，聖靈借著神的話，在我們心中印證我們是神的兒女。
總結：
1. 我們有責任殷勤地找出自己得救的確據。
2. 得救的確據可幫助我們得以成聖。
3. 論到得救的確據，我們可能會遇見以下四種情況：
（1） 未得救的人知道自己未曾得救。
（2） 已得救的人不確定自己已經得救。
（3） 已得救的人知道自己已經得救。
（4） 未得救的人以為自己是得救的。
4. 錯誤的得救確據主要是源自錯誤的得救教義。
5. 我們必須審察內心，並看看自己有無信心的果子，才能確知自己有真正的得救確據。
6. 得救全然肯定的確據，來自神的話語和聖靈的見證。
思考經文
太7：21--23；約3：1--21；羅8：15--17；林後1：12；約一2：3--6；約一5：13
71.
THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
Can
anyone know for sure that he is saved? For someone to declare that he is
certain of his salvation may seem to be an act of unspeakable arrogance. Yet
the Bible calls us to make our salvation a matter of certainty. Peter commands,
“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure” (2 Peter 1:10).
It is
our duty to seek assurance of our salvation with diligence. This is not done
out of idle curiosity about the state of our soul, but to enhance our
growth
in sanctification. Christians who remain uncertain about the state of their
salvation are subject to all sorts of questions that paralyze their walk with
Christ. They stumble in doubt and are vulnerable to the assaults of Satan. So
we must seek to be assured of our salvation. There are four possible positions
with respect to one’s assurance of salvation.
Position
One: There are people who are unsaved and know that they are unsaved. These
people are aware of the enmity they have in their hearts toward God and clearly
want nothing to do with Christ as their Savior. They are bold to proclaim that
they do not need Christ. Such people are often openly hostile to the gospel.
Position
Two: There are people who are saved but do not know they are saved. These
people are actually in a state of grace but are uncertain of it. Perhaps they
are wrestling with sin in their lives and doubt their own salvation because of
a troubled conscience. In this group are those who have not yet made certain
that they are among the elect.
Position
Three: There are people who are saved and know that they are saved. This is the
group who are certain of their election and calling. They have a clear and
sound understanding of what salvation requires and know they have met the
requirements. They have believed the testimony of the Holy Spirit when He
witnessed to their spirits that they are the children of God (Romans 8:16).
Position
Four: There are people who are not saved but confidently believe that they are
saved. These people have assurance of salvation without salvation. Their
assurance is a false assurance.
Because
it is possible to have a false assurance of salvation, how do we know if we are
in group three or group four? To answer that we must look more closely at group
four and ask how it is possible to have a false sense of assurance.
The
easiest way to have a false assurance of salvation is to have a false doctrine
of salvation. For example, if a person holds to a universalist view of
salvation they may reason as follows:
Every
person is saved. I am a person. Therefore, I am saved.
Because
their doctrine is faulty, their assurance has no firm basis.
Another
way that people falsely assure themselves of salvation is by believing that
they will get to heaven by trying to live a good life. Those who think they are
living a good enough life to satisfy the demands of a holy God are only
deluding themselves into thinking they are saved.
But
what if a person has a sound doctrine of salvation? Is it still possible to
have false assurance? We must answer yes. A person might think he has saving
faith but not really possess it. The test for authentic assurance is twofold.
On the one hand, we must examine our own hearts to see if we have true faith in
Christ. We must see whether or not we have any genuine love for the biblical
Christ. For we know such love for Him would be impossible without regeneration.
Second,
we must examine the fruit of our faith. We do not need perfect fruit to have
assurance, but there must be some evidence of the fruit of obedience for our
profession of faith to be credible. If no fruit is present, then no faith is
present. Where saving faith is found, fruit of that faith is also found.
Finally,
we seek our assurance from the Word of God through which the Holy Spirit bears
witness to our spirit that we are His children.
Summary
1. It
is our duty to diligently pursue assurance of salvation.
2. Assurance of salvation enhances our
sanctification.
3. There are four possible groups or positions
regarding assurance: (a) Those who are unsaved and know they are unsaved (b)
Those who are saved but don’t have assurance that they are saved (c) Those who
are saved and know they are saved (d) Those who are unsaved but believe they
are saved
4.
False assurance is primarily based on a false doctrine of salvation.
5. To
gain authentic assurance we must search our own hearts and examine the fruit of
our faith.
6.
Full assurance comes from the Word of God coupled with the testimony of the
Holy Spirit.
Biblical
passages for reflection:
Matthew
7:21-23 John 3:1-21
Romans
8:15-17 2 Corinthians 1:12 1 John 2:3-6 1 John 5:13