唯獨信心：蒙神悅納的順服唯一的來源Sola Fide: The Only Source ofGod-Pleasing Obedience
作者：shane lems 編譯：駱鴻銘
對改教家來說，“唯獨信心”絕對不會妨礙基督徒在日常生活中行善，反而是基督徒順服上帝旨意唯一的基礎和動力的來源。把善行放在稱義前面，以為這樣可以得到上帝的悅納，是改變了基督徒順服的本質。善行不再是感恩的果子，是因為得到上帝的悅納（因為基督代替/代表我們的工作）所生出的感恩的自覺，反而被當成是獲得上帝恩寵的途徑。然而，若行善是為了得到上帝的恩寵，這種善行就不再是真正的信心所做的。它們已經被巴結上帝、尋求自己利益的慾望所敗壞，或者是費勁心思想要取得上帝不願給予的接納和赦免。
改教家的看法是：基督徒的自由是順服上帝的自由，不是犯罪或繼續悖逆的自由。不過，信心的順服不是因為害怕懲罰或擔心會失去上帝的恩寵勉強擠出來的。反而，這是滿心歡喜地喜愛上帝和祂的律法，是從認識到上帝在基督裡所賜予的我們不配得的恩寵而生出來的。
當稱義成為基督徒成聖的根基，基督徒的順服就不會被焦慮是否得到上帝的恩典所污染。加爾文在他對雅各和保羅作品的註釋中表達了這點。他堅持說，我們不應該把善行，也就是真正信心必然的後果，放在信心之前，因善行只能來自信心。除非信徒已經因信在基督裡蒙上帝的悅納，他們的善行就不可能取悅上帝。同時，那些已經認識白白稱義的恩典的人，藉著信心與基督聯合的人，不可能不會在善行中得到更新。
以上摘錄自Cornelis Venema的書：The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ: An Assessment
of the Reformation and 'New Perspectives' on Paul, 2006, Banner of Truth
這段話可以當作海德堡要理問答91的評註。
問91：什麼是善工？
答：是那些只按照神的律法，為榮耀神，從真信心行出來的事，而非按照我們自己的意見或人的命令行出來的事。
Sola
Fide: The Only Source of God-Pleasing Obedience Oct
by
Reformed Reader
Here
are some great and comforting words by Cornelis Venema on faith alone (sola
fide) and Christian obedience.
“For
the Reformers, ‘faith alone,’ far from being detrimental to the Christian life
of good works, is the only basis and source of Christian obedience. To place works before justification, as
though they played a role in obtaining God’s acceptance, alters the character
of the Christian’s life of obedience.
Rather than good works being the fruits of thankfulness, which are born
out of the grateful awareness of the believer’s acceptance by God, they are
regarded as a means to obtain favor with God.
If works are performed to obtain God’s favor, however, they are no
longer performed in good faith. They
become corrupted by a self-seeking desire to curry favor with God, or to wrest
from God a reluctant acceptance and forgiveness.”
“According
to the Reformers, the Christian’s freedom is a freedom to obey God, not a
freedom to sin or continue in disobedience.
However, the obedience of faith is not constrained by a fear of punishment
or falling into disfavor with God.
Rather, it is a joyful delight in God and his will, which springs from
an awareness of God’s undeserved favor in Christ.”
“When
justification undergirds the believer’s sanctification, Christian obedience is
no longer colored by an anxious uncertainty regarding God’s grace. Calvin expresses this point in his comments
on James and Paul, when he insists that we should not place good works, which
are the inevitable effect of true faith, before faith, which is the only cause
of good works. Unless believers are
acceptable to God by faith in Christ, it is not possible for their works to be
pleasing to him. At the same time, it is
impossible for those who know the grace of free justification and who are
united to Christ by faith, not to be renewed in good works.”
I
suppose these paragraphs might be a helpful commentary on Heidelberg Catechism
Q/A 91 and Westminster Confession of Faith 16:1-2.
The
above quotes are found on pages 85-86 of The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ
by Cornelis Venema.
shane
lems
links: