律法與福音的區分The Difference Betwixt the Lawand the Gospel
作者:Shane Lems 譯者: 駱鴻銘
在我看來,關於律法/福音之區分,最佳的簡短討論之一,可以在托馬斯•波士頓(Thomas Boston)所寫,在他對愛德華•費雪(Edward Fisher)所著的《現代神學精華》(Marrow of Modern Divinity)的評論的第二部分中。在這段文字裏,波士頓解釋了為什麼律法/福音的區分是必要的,律法和福音之間的區分是什麼,以及如何恰當地區分兩者。以下是我發現非常有幫助和令人欣慰的部分——並請留意他如何根據律法/福音的區分來解釋唯獨靠恩典、唯獨藉著信心、唯獨在基督裏稱義:
In my
opinion, one of the best brief discussions about the law/gospel distinction was
written by Thomas Boston and it’s found in the second part of his comments on
Edward Fisher’s Marrow of Modern Divinity. In this section Boston explains why
a law/gospel distinction is necessary, what the difference is between the law
and the gospel, and how to properly distinguish between the two. Below is one section that I found very
helpful and comforting – and notice how he explains justification by grace
alone through faith alone in Christ alone in light of the law/gospel
distinction (the emphasis below is mine):
簡而言之,如果我們知道律法何時說話,福音何時說話(無論是在閱讀聖經的時候,還是在是在宣講聖經的時候);而如果我們想要熟練地將一個聲音與另一個聲音區分開來,我們必須考慮:
Briefly,
then, if we would know when the law speaks, and when the gospel speaks, either
in reading the word, or in hearing it preached; and if we would skilfully
distinguish the voice of the one from the voice of the other, we must consider,
律法。律法說:「你是個罪人,因此要被定罪。」(羅七2;帖後二12)
(Rom
7:2) 就如女人有了丈夫,丈夫還活著,就被律法約束;丈夫若死了,就脫離了丈夫的律法。
(2Th
2:12) 使一切不信真理、倒喜愛不義的人都被定罪。
Law.
The law says, “Thou art a sinner, and therefore thou shalt be damned;” Rom.
7:2; 2 Thess. 2:12.
福音。但是福音卻說,不;「基督耶穌降世,為要拯救罪人。」因此,「當信主耶穌,你和你一家都必得救。」(提前一15;徒十六31)
(1Ti
1:15) 「基督耶穌降世,為要拯救罪人。」這話是可信的,是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是個罪魁。
(Act
16:31) 他們說:「當信主耶穌,你和你一家都必得救。」
Gos.
But the gospel says, No; “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;”
and therefore “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” 1
Tim. 1:15; Acts 16:31.
律法。律法再次說:「你們豈不知不義的人不能承受神的國嗎?不要自欺!」(林前六9)因此,你們這些身為罪人、不義的人,必不能承受神的國。
(1Co
6:9) 你們豈不知不義的人不能承受神的國嗎?不要自欺!無論是淫亂的、拜偶像的、姦淫的、作孌童的、親男色的、
Law.
Again the law says, “Knowest thou not that the unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God; be not deceived,” &c. 1 Cor. 6:9. And therefore thou
being a sinner, and not righteous, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
福音。但是福音說:「神已經使那無罪的基督替你們成為有罪的;使你們在他裡面成為神的義。」(林後五21;耶廿三6)
(2Co
5:21) 神使那無罪(無罪:原文作不知罪)的,替我們成為罪,好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。
(Jer
23:6) 在他的日子,猶大必得救,以色列也安然居住。他的名必稱為『耶和華我們的義』。」
Gos.
But the gospel says, “God has made Christ to be sin for thee, who knew no sin;
that thou mightest be made the righteousness of God in him, who is the Lord thy
righteousness,” Jer. 23:6.
律法。律法再次說:「你把所欠的還我!否則我就把你下到監獄裏。」(太十八28、30)
(Mat
18:28) 「那僕人出來,遇見他的一個同伴欠他十兩銀子,便揪著他,掐住他的喉嚨,說:『你把所欠的還我!』
(Mat
18:30) 他不肯,竟去把他下在監裡,等他還了所欠的債。
Law.
Again the law says, “Pay me that thou owest me, or else I will cast thee into
prison,” Matt. 18:28, 30.
福音。但是福音說:「基督捨了自己作你的贖價」(提前二6);「使祂成為你的公義。」(林前一30)
(1Ti
2:6) 他捨自己作萬人的贖價,到了時候,這事必證明出來。
(1Co
1:30) 但你們得在基督耶穌裡,是本乎神,神又使他成為我們的智慧、公義、聖潔、救贖。
Gos.
But the gospel says, “Christ gave himself a ransom for thee,” 1 Tim. 2:6; “and
so is made redemption unto thee,” 1 Cor. 1:30.
律法。律法又說:「你沒有堅守我要求的一切,因此你要受咒詛。」(申廿七26)
(Deu
27:26) 「『不堅守遵行這律法言語的,必受咒詛!』」
Law.
Again the law says, “Thou hast not continued in all that I require of thee, and
therefore thou art accursed,” Deut. 27:6.
福音。但是福音說:「基督已經為你受了咒詛,救贖你脫離了律法的咒詛。」(加三13)
(Gal
3:13) 基督既為我們受(原文作成)了咒詛,就贖出我們脫離律法的咒詛;因為經上記著:「凡掛在木頭上都是被咒詛的。」
Gos.
But the gospel says, “Christ hath redeemed thee from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for thee,” Gal. 3:13.
律法。律法又說:「你在神面前是有罪的,因此無法逃脫神的審判。」(羅三29;二3)
(Rom
3:29) 難道神只作猶太人的神嗎?不也是作外邦人的神嗎?是的,也作外邦人的神。
(Rom
2:3) 你這人哪,你論斷行這樣事的人,自己所行的卻和別人一樣,你以為能逃脫神的審判嗎?
Law.
Again the law says, “Thou art become guilty before God, and therefore shalt not
escape the judgment of God,” Rom. 3:29; 2:3.
福音。但是福音說:「父不審判人,已經將審判的事全部交給子。」(約五22)
(Joh
5:22) 父不審判什麼人,乃將審判的事全交與子
Gos.
But the gospel says, “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment to the Son,” John 5:12.
如今,既然我們已經正確地知道如何區分法律與福音,我們首先就必須注意,在應用福音的範圍內(無論是對我們自己,還是對他人)應用律法時,我們都不可打破這兩者之間的順序;因為按照教義的順序,律法和福音在許多地方都必須聯合在一起,然而,在稱義的例子上,律法必須完全與福音徹底分開。
And
now, knowing rightly how to distinguish between the law and the gospel, we
must, in the fifth place, take heed that we break not the orders between these
two in applying the law where the gospel is to be applied, either to ourselves
or to others; for albeit the law and gospel, in order of doctrine, are many
times to be joined together, yet, in the case of justification, the law must be
utterly separated from the gospel.
因此,無論何時,無論何地,只要對救恩或我們在上帝面前的稱義有任何的懷疑或問題,我們都必須將律法和一切善工完全排除在外,並且加以分開,以至於恩典可以顯得是白白的、無條件的,而應許和信心可以獨立運作:唯獨信心,不靠法律或善行,僅僅通過應許和上帝在基督裏白白的恩典,就可以為你帶來稱義和救恩;所以我要說,在稱義的行動和職事中,律法和善工都要完全被排除在外、被豁免,被當成與此無關的事情。理由是這樣的:因為看到我們所有的救恩都從釘在十字架上的上帝的兒子的身體中湧出,那麼,除了我們所領受的基督的身體以外,就沒有任何東西可以代替我們。
Therefore,
whensoever, or wheresoever, any doubt or question arises of salvation, or our
justification before God, there the law and all good works must be utterly
excluded and stand apart, that grace may appear free, and that the promise and
faith may stand alone: which faith alone, without law or works, brings thee in
particular to thy justification and salvation, through the mere promise and
free grace of God in Christ; so that I say, in the action and office of
justification, both law and works are to be utterly excluded and exempted, as
things which have nothing to do in that behalf. The reason is this; for, seeing
that all our redemption springs out from the body of the Son of God crucified,
then is there nothing that can stand us in stead, but that only wherewith the
body of Christ is apprehended.
原文出自:
Thomas
Boston, The Whole Works of Thomas Boston: An Explication of the Assembly’s
Shorter Catechism, ed. Samuel M‘Millan, vol. 7 (Aberdeen: George and Robert
King, 1850), 461–462.