改革宗神学就是圣约神学 ReformedTheology Is Covenant Theology
作者：Richard Pratt 译者：骆鸿铭
改革宗神学常常会与「圣约神学」相提并论。（在欧美）如果听得够仔细，你经常会听到牧师和教师说他们自己是「改革宗与圣约」（reformed and
covenantal）的牧师或教师。「改革宗」和「圣约」这两个词如此广泛被使用在一起，这使得我们有必要去认识它们之间的关係。
Reformed theology
is often associated with “covenant theology.” If you listen carefully, you’ll often hear pastors and teachers describe
themselves as “Reformed and covenantal.” The terms Reformed and covenant are
used together so widely that it behooves us to understand why they are
connected.
圣约神学是加尔文主义者对圣经所持的一种基本信念。所有的新教徒都忠於他们的传承，肯定「唯独圣经」这个原则，即相信圣经是我们最高和无可置疑的权威。不过，圣约神学将改革宗神学对圣经的看法进一步和其他的新教徒区分开来。圣约神学强调上帝的圣约会把整本圣经的教导统一起来。
Covenant theology
refers to one of the basic beliefs that Calvinists have held about the Bible.
All Protestants who have remained faithful to their heritage affirm sola
Scriptura, the belief that the Bible is our supreme and unquestionable
authority. Covenant theology, however, distinguishes the Reformed view of
Scripture from other Protestant outlooks by emphasizing that divine covenants
unify the teachings of the entire Bible.
在改革宗神学的早期发展中，对圣经中的圣约的认识，在17世纪的英格兰达到了一个高点，威敏思特信仰告白（1646），萨伏伊宣言（Savoy Declaration）（1658；译按：公理会依照威敏思特信仰告白所作的修正，以配合其教会治理；由约翰•欧文起草），以及伦敦浸信会信仰告白（1689），各自代表了英语世界的加尔文主义者的不同群体。这些文件之间，只有很少的差异。它们都各自用一整章的篇幅，来描述上帝如何与人类立约，显明圣经所教导的是统一的整体。
Earlier
developments in the Reformed, covenantal understanding of Scripture reached a
high point in seventeenth-century England with the Westminster Confession of
Faith (1646), the Savoy Declaration (1658), the London Baptist Confession of
1689, and each representing different groups of English-speaking Calvinists.
With only slight variations among them, these documents each devote an entire
chapter to the way God’s covenants with humanity reveal the unity of all that
the Bible teaches.
例如，威敏思特信仰告白说到上帝藉著圣约，絳贵紆尊地向人类啟示自己。然后，它将圣经的整个歷史分成两个圣约的阶段：在亚当裡的「行為之约」，以及在基督裡的「恩典之约」。行為之约是上帝与亚当和夏娃，在他们堕落之前的约定（安排），而恩典之约则管制著圣经其餘的部分。从这个观点来看，恩典之约所有的阶段，其本质是相同的。它们之间的不同，只在於上帝在整个圣经歷史中，以各种不同的方法，在基督裡施行祂唯一的恩典之约。
For example, the
Westminster Confession of Faith speaks of God condescending to reveal Himself
to humanity by means of covenant. It then divides the entire history of the
Bible into just two covenants: the “covenant of works” in Adam and the “covenant
of grace” in Christ. The covenant of works was God’s arrangement with Adam and
Eve before their fall into sin. The covenant of grace governed the rest of the
Bible. In this view, all stages of the covenant of grace were the same in
substance. They differed only as God administered His one covenant of grace in
Christ in various ways throughout biblical history.
按照同样的脉络，最近有一些改革宗神学家，把圣经中一些特定的圣约，和新约所说的「上帝的国」（Kingdom of God）联繫在一起，藉此确认圣经中圣约的统一性。主耶穌在主祷文的一开始，就表明上帝的国的重要性：「我们在天上的父：愿人都尊你的名為圣。愿你的国降临；愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。」（太6：9-10）耶穌的话首先表明歷史最重要的目的是上帝自己的荣耀和尊贵。然而，祂的话也表明上帝是要透过祂的国度降临在地上，如同在天上，来得到这个荣耀。上帝的目标从来是要藉著在地上设立祂荣耀的国度，从所有的被造物口中，接受永恆的讚美。借用著名的啟示录11：15的讚美，就是在歷史终了时，「世上的国（将要）成了我主和主基督的国，祂要作王，直到永永远远。」
Along these same lines, a
number of more recent Reformed theologians have affirmed the covenantal unity
of Scripture by relating particular biblical covenants to what the New
Testament calls “the kingdom of God.” Jesus indicated the importance of God’s
kingdom in the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed
be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
(Matt. 6:9–10). Jesus’ words first indicate that the foremost goal of history
is the glory and honor of God Himself. Yet, His words also indicate that God
will receive this glory through the coming of His kingdom to earth as it is in
heaven. God’s goal has always been to receive the eternal praise of every
creature by establishing His glorious kingdom on earth. To borrow from the
well-known praise of Revelation 11:15, at the end of history “the kingdom of
the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall
reign forever and ever.”
最近的一些考古学发现，已经告诉我们上帝的圣约和祂地上的国度有怎样的联繫。在圣经的时代，围绕以色列列国的君王，是透过国际性的条约来扩张他们的国家。圣经学者注意到这些古代的条约和圣经中的圣约之间有很多的平行之处，例如上帝与亚当，挪亚，亚伯拉罕，摩西，大卫，甚至和基督所立的约。这些相似性表明，圣经将圣约作為上帝施行祂国度，让国度在地上扩展的一种方式。Recent
archaeological discoveries have shown how God’s covenants related to His earthly kingdom. In the
days of the Bible, many kings of nations surrounding Israel administered the
expansion of their kingdoms through international treaties. Biblical scholars
have noticed remarkable parallels between these ancient treaties and the
biblical covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Christ. These
similarities indicate that the Scriptures present covenants as God’s way of
administrating the expansion of His kingdom on earth.
每一个圣约，都在推展前一个圣约的原则。藉著这样的发展，圣经的每个圣约，强调上帝的国度中特定的阶段，什麼才是必要的。上帝起初与亚当立约，啟示出自己的王权，人类的角色，以及祂為地球所定的计划（创1-3）。接下来，上帝在挪亚之约中，应许人类一个稳定的自然界，让人类可以事奉上帝，这些原则就进一步得到实现（创15-17）。在摩西的时代，上帝在这些圣约的基础上，透过祂的律法来赐福给以色列人（出19-24）。当上帝设立大卫王朝，并应许说，他其中的一个后裔会以公义来治理以色列和全世界（诗72；89；132），之前所有的圣约就被带到一个新的高峰。然后，所有旧约圣经中的圣约，在基督裡得到进一步的开展与成全（耶31：31；林后1：19-20）。基督作為大卫伟大的后裔，祂的生、死、復活、升天，以及祂的再来，永远地保障了全地将要被转换成上帝荣耀的国度。
Biblical covenants
emphasized what was needed at specific stages of God’s kingdom by furthering the principles of previous
covenants. God started with Adam to reveal His own kingship, the role of
humanity, and the destiny He had planned for the earth (Gen. 1–3). These
principles were then carried forward as God promised stability in nature for
humanity’s service in Noah’s covenant (Gen. 6, 9). God enhanced His previous
covenants by promising that Abraham’s descendants would become a great empire
and spread God’s blessings to all other nations (Gen. 15, 17). God built on
these covenants by blessing Israel with His law in the days of Moses (Ex.
19–24). Every previous covenant was taken to new heights as God established
David’s dynasty and promised that one of his sons would rule in righteousness
over Israel and over the entire world (Pss. 72; 89; 132). All Old Testament
covenants were then furthered and fulfilled in Christ (Jer. 31:31; 2Cor.
1:19–20). As the great son of David, His life, death, resurrection, ascension,
and return eternally secure the transformation of the entire earth into God’s
glorious kingdom.
今天许多福音派基督徒觉得很难相信从创世记3：15之后所有的经文，都是关於上帝要透过恩典之约的展开，来施行祂的国度。绝大多数的美国福音派基督徒是这样看圣经的。他们把圣经分成不同的时代，基本上是由不同的神学原则来管理的。当基督徒遵循这种流行的对经文的看法时，他们很快就会相信，我们今天所拥有的新约，实际上与旧约圣经是有很多矛盾之处的。Many evangelical
Christians today find it difficult to believe that everything in Scripture
after Genesis 3:15 concerns God’s kingdom administered through the unfolding of
one covenant of grace. The majority of American evangelicals view Scripture as
divided into periods of time governed by substantially different theological
principles. When Christians follow this popular approach to Scripture, it is
not long before they become convinced that the new covenant of our day is
actually at odds with many aspects of the Old Testament.
至少有三个议题会吸引我们的注意：行為和恩典；集体和个人的信心，以及属地和属灵的关切。首先，许多福音派基督徒相信，旧约所强调的好行為，与本乎恩、因著对基督的信心（by grace through
faith）的救恩，是不相容的。其次，以色列作為一个社群，他们与上帝集体的关係，似乎被个人的关係所取代了，就是只聚焦在个别的人与上帝的个人关係。第三，许多福音派基督徒相信，旧约圣经呼召人要為上帝设立一个地上的国度，这个国度与新约所强调的基督属灵的国度，是有区别的。At least three
issues often move to the foreground: works and grace, corporate and individual
faith, and earthly and spiritual concerns. First, many evangelicals believe
that the Old Testament’s emphasis on good works is incompatible with salvation
by grace through faith in Christ. Second, Israel’s corporate relationship with
God as a community appears to have been replaced by a focus on the individuals’
personal relationships with God. Third, many evangelicals believe that the Old
Testament call to establish an earthly kingdom for God stands in contrast with
the New Testament emphasis on a spiritual kingdom in Christ.
圣约神学让改革宗神学家们看到，在这三方面，新约实际上是与旧约非常类似的。首先，从圣约神学的观点来看，本乎恩，因著在基督裡的信心，在旧约和新约中，都是得救的唯一道路。整本圣经都要求人要有好行為，因為得救的信心总是会结出顺服的果子。其次，圣约神学帮助我们看到，旧约和新约都说到个人和群体与上帝的关係。上帝所有的圣约都同时处理这两个层面。第三，圣约神学已经证明，上帝的国度一直同时是属地的，也是属灵的。旧约和新约同时关注我们在这两个领域的事奉。圣约神学用不同的方法，能对更广的福音派群体作出贡献。
Covenant theology
has enabled Reformed theologians to see that the New Testament is actually
quite similar to the Old Testament in these three areas. First, in this view
salvation by grace through faith in Christ was the only way of salvation in
both Testaments. The entire Bible calls for good works because saving faith
always yields the fruit of obedience to God. Second, covenant theology helps us
see that both Testaments speak about individual and corporate relationships
with God. All of God’s covenants deal with people on both levels. Third,
covenant theolog y has shown that God’s kingdom has always been earthly and
spiritual. The Old and New Testaments focus on our service in both realms. In these
and other ways, covenant theology has much to offer the broader evangelical
community.
与此同时，圣约神学在当前的改革宗圈子中，也越来越需要得到更强的确认。在最近的一、二十年，许多改革宗神学的倡导者，忽略了圣约神学的重要性。
At the same time,
there is also a growing need for covenant theology to be strongly reaffirmed in
contemporary Reformed circles. In recent decades, many newer advocates of
Reformed theology have neglected covenant theology.
我们发现，越来越多人把改革宗神学简化到我们所谓的「恩典的教义」（doctrines of grace）——即所谓的加尔文五要点，人的全然败坏，无条件的拣选，限定的救赎，不可抗拒的恩典，以及圣徒的坚忍。当然，我们应该看重这些圣经的真理，但是当我们忽略圣约神学所提供的一个更大的架构，我们对圣经的理解很快就会在这三方面受到亏损。
More and more, we
find that Reformed theology has been reduced to what we often call the doctrines
of grace — familiar beliefs such as total depravity, unconditional election,
limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. Of
course, we should value these truths of Scripture, but when we fail to stress
the larger framework that covenant theology provides, our understanding of the
Bible soon begins to suffer in the same three areas.
首先，缺乏圣约神学的恩典的教义已经让一些人认為，改革宗神学主要的关注是要教导，从头到尾，是上帝的恩典在托住基督徒的生活，这当然是真的。然而，旧约和新约中的圣约一贯的教导是上帝总是要求祂的子民要下定决心来回应祂的恩典，而祂会奖赏那些顺服的子民，惩罚那些悖逆的人。
First, the
doctrines of grace without covenant theology have led some to believe that
Reformed theology is primarily concerned to teach that God’s grace sustains the
Christian life from beginning to end. Of course, this is certainly true. Yet,
the covenants of both testaments consistently teach that God has always
required determined effort from His people in response to His grace and that He
will reward obedience and punish disobedience.
其次，除了圣约神学，在改革宗神学的圈子中，有许多人似乎认為，我们的神学所关心的就只是為个人找到一个独特的归正的方法，来改善他们与上帝的关係。在我们的时代中，有许多通往个人敬虔与委身的道路，被人看為是改革宗神学最主要的特色。虽然个人是非常重要的，但是圣约神学也强调我们与上帝的集体的关係。圣经中没有一个圣约是上帝与单独的个人所立的。它们总是牵涉到上帝与一群人建立关係。基於这个理由，旧约和新约都教导我们，信徒的家庭是圣约的社群，上帝的怜悯要从一代传到下一代。此外，在旧约和新约中的有形教会，都是圣约的群体，在这个群体中，我们领受福音以及一般性的恩典的管道。Second, apart from
covenant theology, many people in our circles seem to think that our theology
is all about finding uniquely Reformed ways for individuals to improve their
relationships with God. In our day, a number of paths toward personal holiness
and devotion have been treated as the central features of Reformed theology. As
important as individuals are in the Bible, covenant theology highlights our
corporate relationship with God as well. No biblical covenant was made with
just one person. They also involved God establishing relationships with groups
of people. For this reason, both testaments teach us that the families of
believers are covenant communities within which God’s mercy is passed from one
generation to another. Moreover, the visible church in both testaments is the
covenant community within which we receive the gospel and the ordinary means of
grace.
第三，恩典的教义很容易给我们一个印象，以為改革宗神学只关心属灵的事物。在我们的圈子中，有许多人非常关心藉著对圣经有真正的理解，来达成内在生命的转变。然而，我们经常忽略罪和救恩对身体和社会的果效。圣约神学给我们一个更远大，也更令人信服的异象，作為基督徒的盼望。在旧约和新约中，信徒同时要在属灵和地上的领域，来扩展上帝的国度。我们要对万国万民教导基督的福音，好让人们可以在属灵上得著更新，但是这个属灵的更新是為了在我们周围世界的所有面向上扩展基督的王权。
Third, the
doctrines of grace easily give us the impression that Reformed theology is only
concerned with spiritual matters. Many people in our circles are deeply
concerned with inward transformation by a true understanding of Scripture. Yet,
we often neglect the physical and social effects of sin and salvation. Covenant
theology gives us a far larger and more compelling vision of our hopes as
Christians. In both testaments, believers extend God’s kingdom both to
spiritual and earthly realms. We are to teach the gospel of Christ to all
nations so that people may be transformed spiritually, but this spiritual renewal
is for the sake of extending the lordship of Christ to every facet of culture
around the world.
所有这些是要告诉我们，圣约神学有许多东西可以提供给所有的基督徒。所以，当我们问自己，「什麼是改革宗神学」时，我们大可以回答，「改革宗神学就是圣约神学。」
All of this is to
say that covenant theology has much to offer every Christian. So when we ask
ourselves, “What is Reformed theology?” it will serve us well to respond,
“Reformed theology is covenant theology.”