神的三一性The Triunity of God

作者: 史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul) 译者: 姚錦榮

摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the Christian Faith》P32 ,更新傳道會出版

三位一體的教義是很難理解的，甚至有人說，基督教是在傳遞一個荒謬的理念：1+1+1=1，這顯然是一條錯誤的數學公式。三位一體（Trinity）一詞並不是用來描述三位神之間的關系，而是描述一位有三個位格之神，其位格之間彼此的關系。三位一體並非三神論（Tritheism）——即由三位所組成的神。三位一體這個名詞是用來定義出，神在祂的合一性和多樣性上，所彰顯出來的神性是何等的豐滿。

傳統三位一體的公式指出，神的本質是一，而位格是三。雖然這個公式充滿奧秘，看來似是而非，但並不矛盾。神從本質或本體上來說，是合一的，從位格上來說，卻是有別的。

雖然聖經並沒有三位一體這個名詞，卻很明顯地包含了三位一體的概念。從一方面來說，聖經極力肯定神的合一性（申6：4），但另一方面，聖經也清楚表明神有三個位格——父、子、聖靈——且三者均有完全的神性。教會並不接受形態論（modalism）和三神論的異端：形態論否認神有不同的位格，認為父、子、聖靈只不過是以三個不同方式顯示自己而已；而三神論則錯誤地認為神是由三個實存組成的。

位格（person）一詞並非指在本質上有所不同，而是指神在存活形態（subsistence）上的不同。神裏面的某種存活形態真正有別於另一種存活形態，但就其本體上的分別來說，並沒有本質上的不同。每個位格都在純粹的神之本體下實有或存在。存活形態之區分只是在本體的範疇之內，而非另一相異的本體或本質。神所有的位格都擁有神性所有的屬性。

此外，三位一體中，每一成員的工作也有區別。從某個角度看，救恩是三位一體中三個位格的共同作為，但就行動的方式來說，父、子、聖靈所承擔的運作，有其不同。父神開始創造和救贖之工；子神贖回創造之工；聖靈神則將救贖施行在信徒身上，使人重生、成聖。

三位一體並不是說，神有不同的部分，甚至也不是指各有不同的角色。常常有人比喻說，一個人可以同時具有父親、兒子和丈夫的身分，但這還是不能掌握神本性的奧秘。

三位一體的教義並不能完全解釋神本性的奧秘，但這教義為我們定下了不能逾越的規範：它劃定了我們有限思維的界限，它要求我們忠於聖經的啟示，也就是說相信從一方面來說，神是一位，但從另一方面來說，神是三位。

總結

1. 三位一體教義確定了神三而一的特性。

2. 三位一體教義本身並沒有矛盾：神在本質上是一，在位格上是三。

3. 聖經一方面確定神的獨一性，另一方面又確定父、子、聖靈三者的神性。

4. 三位一體的分別，顯示在父、子、聖靈各有不同的工作上。

5. 三位一體教義為人類對神本性的臆測定下了界限。

思考經文：

申六4；太三16-17；太28：，19；林後廿八19；彼前一2

The Triunity of God

The doctrine of the Trinity is difficult and perplexing to us. Sometimes it is thought that Christianity teaches the absurd notion that 1+1+1=1. That is clearly a false equation. The term Trinity describes a relationship not of three gods, but of one God who is three persons. Trinity does not mean tritheism, that is, that there are three beings who together are God. The word Trinity is used in an effort to define the fullness of the Godhead both in terms of His unity and diversity.

The historic formulation of the Trinity is that God is one in essence and three in person. Though the formula is mysterious and even paradoxical, it is in no way contradictory. The unity of the Godhead is affirmed in terms of essence or being, while the diversity of the Godhead is expressed in terms of person.

Though the term Trinity is not found in the Bible, the concept is clearly there. On the one hand the Bible strongly affirms the unity of God (Deuteronomy 6:4). On the other hand the Bible clearly affirms the full deity of the three persons of the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church has rejected the heresies of modalism and tritheism. Modalism denies the distinction of persons within the Godhead, claiming that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are just ways in which God expresses Himself. Tritheism, on the other hand, falsely declares that there are three beings who together make up God.

The term person does not mean a distinction in essence but a different subsistence in the Godhead. A subsistence in the Godhead is a realdifference but not an essential difference in the sense of a difference in being. Each person subsists or exists "under" the pure essence of deity. Subsistence is a difference within the scope of being, not a separate being or essence. All persons in the Godhead have all the attributes of deity.

There is also a distinction in the work done by each member of the Trinity. The work of salvation is in one sense common to all three persons of the Trinity. Yet in the manner of activity, there are differing operations assumed by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father initiates creation and redemption; the Son redeems the creation; and the Holy Spirit regenerates and sanctifies, applying redemption to believers.

The Trinity does not refer to parts of God or even to roles. Human analogies such as one man who is a father, son, and a husband fail to capture the mystery of the nature of God.

The doctrine of the Trinity does not fully explain the mysterious character of God. Rather, it sets the boundaries outside of which we must not step. It defines the limits of our finite reflection. It demands that we be faithful to the biblical revelation that in one sense God is one and in a different sense He is three.

1.         The doctrine of the Trinity affirms the triunity of God.

2.         The doctrine of the Trinity is not a contradiction: God is one in essence and three in person.

3.         The Bible affirms both the oneness of God and the deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

4.         The Trinity is distinguished by the work assumed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

5.         The doctrine of the Trinity sets the limits of human speculation about the nature of God.