改革宗信仰基础12：圣约中保耶稣基督Basicsof the Reformed Faith: Jesus Christ the Covenant Mediator

作者: Kim Riddlebarger   译者/校对者: 牛泓/王一

https://wscal.edu/blog/3638

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics12-covenant-mediator/

有些重要的教义往往很抽象。有时人们在思考有关拣选与预定、代赎的范围等教义的时候，并不把这些教义与耶稣基督的位格和工作联系起来。然而，圣经却不允许我们这样做。如果我们遵循圣经的模式和语言，那么，当我们在谈论拣选这一主题时，我们不得不同时提到我们是创世之前在耶稣基督里被拣选的，而父则拣选耶稣基督作世人的救主（约17:1）。女人的后裔（创3:15）就是拿撒勒人耶稣，祂藉着自己的救赎工作拯救我们。这就是为何上帝的永恒之子要成为肉身：为了将祂的百姓从罪恶中拯救出来。如此，我们就回到了恩典之约和圣约里的中保，耶稣基督。

我们要好好思想，恩典之约有一位位格性的中保这件事。在旧约耶稣基督是通过预表和影子向我们启示出来，例如摩西的职分，摩西是上帝与以色列在西奈山之约中的中保，再如通过大卫的王权和统治，又如通过以色列的祭司向上帝所献的赎罪祭等。所有这些旧约的事件都预示着那位成了肉身的上帝的降临。这就是为何当我们提到拣选和圣约的时候，我们必须聚焦在那位成肉身的道。拣选、圣约和道成肉身是密不可分的，并且只有把它们放在耶稣基督，以马内利的降生之下，才能被解释和理解。这位耶稣同样也是那在旧约逐渐地展开并在新约里成全的恩典之约的中保。

随着救赎应许开始慢慢展开，上帝的应许很清楚地将要在一个人身上得以实现。他就是女人的后裔，以色列至高的祭司、先知和君王，上帝和人之间的中保（提前2:5）。这个作为恩典之约中保的人，将是完全的人，也是完全的神。他有两个不同的本性，却仍只有一个位格（即同一个人）。

耶稣基督的神人二性，让我们看到，为了将我们从罪恶中拯救出来，这位仁慈的上帝愿意付上任何代价。考虑到人类犯罪的事实，倘若没有主的道成肉身我们就绝不可能从罪中得到拯救。既然主是上帝永恒的独生子，是成为肉身的道，我们必须处理基督的两个本性以及这两个本性是如何在同一个位格，即耶稣这个人里产生关系的。既然犯罪的是人性，那么上帝以耶稣基督的位格来到世上就是绝对必要的，因为只有这样，才能有一个有着真实人性的人去完成拯救我们的任务。我们所欠上帝的债，必须由亚当的一个族人来偿还。而由咒诅（死亡）所带来的惩罚则必须由身体和灵魂共同来承担。为了要承担这样的刑罚，上帝永恒的独生子必须取肉身。

而与此同时，如果我们要从罪恶中被赎出来，救主自己必须没有任何罪，这样他才能代表那些他要拯救的人献上赎罪祭，从而满足上帝的公义。一个本性败坏的罪人无法去拯救其他罪人。这就是为何耶稣必须被圣灵感孕， 由童贞女所生，这样他就与亚当的罪无份。这也是为何耶稣自己要服在律法以下（加4:4-6），这样他才能通过自己完美的顺服为他的百姓赚得律法的义。这也是为何保罗称耶稣为末后亚当（罗5:12-19）。耶稣没有像亚当那样向试探妥协，他遵守了上帝全部的诫命。耶稣赚得了亚当所失去的生命冠冕。耶稣作为一个真实的人，完美地做到了上帝所要求的全部事情。这就是为什么耶稣是一位比摩西更美的中保，这也是为什么新约是比摩西之约更美的约。

然而，在人类里，没有任何一个有限的人能偿还我们欠上帝无限的罪债。所以中保必须是一位能真正偿还无限罪债的，才能为我们赎罪。此外，在人类里，没有任何人能把自己的牺牲或顺服应用在另一个人身上，并宣告别人得到赦免。只有上帝能，在他起誓所建立的恩典之约之下，把救赎工作的成果应用在其他人身上。这就是为何耶稣也必须是完全的上帝。

因为耶稣是真正的人，所以他能真正拯救人性——这个人性在他复活升天时也随他而升天。我们不仅有灵魂得救的盼望，在他一个位格里联合的两个本性也表明，上帝也将救赎我们的身体。耶稣不单单偿还我们的罪债，为我们赚来完美的义，他现今更是以荣耀的身体居于高天，将来他也要以此身体再临，让死人复活、审判世界并且使万物更新。因为我们的主已经救赎了人类的肉体，所以我们可以确信，我们的肉体也将同样地被改变从而使我们可以与主同在直到永远。

这就是为何耶稣基督必须是真神与真人，是作恩典之约中保的一个位格。耶稣降世把我们从罪恶当中拯救出来，并以完美顺服上帝的律法为我们赚得完美的义。但是，为了拯救堕落的人性，道也成为肉身，这就要求他在除了罪以外的各方面都要与我们一样。当我们谈论得赎的时候，绝不仅仅意味着灵魂的得赎，而是指包含我们身体和灵魂在内的全人的得赎。这就是为何他必须是真神与真人，是更美之约的中保。

Basics of the Reformed Faith: Jesus Christ the Covenant Mediator

Kim Riddlebarger

Christians often speak of important doctrines in the abstract. People speculate about election and predestination, the extent of the atonement, and so on, without making any connection between these doctrines and the person and work of Jesus Christ. But the Bible does not allow us to do this. If we follow the biblical pattern and language, we cannot even mention the subject of election, without at the same time mentioning that we are chosen from before the foundation of the world in the person of Jesus Christ, who was himself chosen by the Father to be the redeemer of the world (John 17:1 ff.). The seed of the woman (cf. Genesis 3:15) is Jesus of Nazareth, who has redeemed us through his saving work. This is why the eternal son of God became incarnate–to save his people from their sins. And this brings us back to the covenant of grace, and its mediator, Jesus Christ.

It is important to carefully consider the fact that the covenant of grace has a personal mediator–Jesus Christ–who is revealed to us in the types and shadows of the Old Testament through Moses’ office as mediator of that covenant God makes with Israel at Mount Sinai, as well as through the kingship of David and his rule over Israel, and even through the sacrifices for sin offered to God by the priests of Israel. All of these Old Testament events foreshadow the coming of God in human flesh. This is why whenever we speak about election and covenant, we must focus upon the word made flesh. Election, covenant, and incarnation are inseparable, and can only be explained and understood in the light of the coming of Jesus Christ, who is “God with us.” This same Jesus is also the mediator of the covenant of grace which progressively unfolds through the pages of the Old Testament, and is fulfilled in the New.

As the promise of redemption begins to unfold, it is clear that God’s promises will be fulfilled in a single person, that one who is the seed of the woman, who will be Israel’s ultimate prophet, priest, and king, and who will also serve as the one mediator between God and man (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5). This one person and mediator of the covenant will be truly human, and yet truly God. He will have two distinct natures, yet he remains one person.

The two natures of Jesus Christ points us to the lengths to which a gracious God will go to save us from our sins. Given the fact of human sin, there is no possible way for men and women to be delivered from that sin apart from the incarnation of our Lord. Since it is the eternal Son of God, the Word, who became flesh, we must deal with the two natures of Christ and the way in which they are related in one person–Jesus. Since it was human nature which sinned, it was absolutely necessary for God to come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ so that someone truly human might do what is necessary to save us. The debt we owe to God must be paid by one of Adam’s race. And then the punishment involved in the curse (death) requires the ability to suffer in both body and soul. For such a penalty to be paid, the eternal Son of God must become flesh.

And yet, at the same time, if we are to be redeemed from our sin, the redeemer must himself be without the guilt of sin so that he could in fact make a sacrifice for sins on behalf of those whom he came to save which satisfies the holy justice of God. A sinful man with a sinful nature is not fit to save other sinners. This is why Jesus was miraculously conceived in the womb of the virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that he was free from the guilt of Adam’s sin. This is also why Jesus subjected himself to the law of God (Galatians 4:4-6), to earn a justifying righteousness for his people through his own perfect obedience. This is why Paul calls Jesus the second Adam (cf. Romans 5:12-19). Jesus does not give into temptation like Adam did. He obeys all of God’s commands, unlike Adam. Jesus earns the crown of life which Adam failed to do. Jesus did all of those things, perfectly, and he did them as someone who was truly human. This is why Jesus is a better mediator than Moses, with a covenant much better than the one God made with Israel at Sinai.

Yet no human sacrifice can pay the infinite debt we owe to the holy God. The sacrifice for our sins must be made by someone whose death can actually pay the debt. Then, there is the fact that no human can apply their sacrifice or obedience to another so as to pronounce forgiveness. Only God can apply the fruits of Jesus’ redemptive work to others under the terms of a covenant of grace, which he alone can establish on his oath. This is why Jesus must also be fully God.

Since Jesus is truly man, he truly redeems human nature–which he took with him when he ascended into heaven after his resurrection. Not only do we have hope that the Son of God will redeem our souls, the two natures united in one person also means that God will redeem our bodies as well. Jesus not only has paid for our sins, and provides for us a perfect righteousness, presently he is in heaven in a body of glorified flesh–a body in which he will return to raise the dead, judge the world and make all things new. Because our Lord has redeemed human flesh, we are certain that our flesh will likewise be transformed so that we might live with him forever and ever.

This is why Jesus Christ must be true God and true man, yet one person who is the mediator of the covenant of grace. Jesus came to save us from our sins and to earn a perfect righteousness by perfectly obeying the law of God. But the Word also became flesh to redeem fallen human nature–and this required him to become like us in every way, yet without sin. When we speak of being saved–we mean much more than the salvation of our souls. We mean the redemption of our whole person–body and soul. This is why he is true God and true man, and the mediator of a better covenant.