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2019-04-23


約翰福音三章16節与人選擇上帝的能力John3:16 and Man’s Ability to Choose God

作者: R.C. Sproul  譯者:  Maria Marta

具有諷刺意味的是在同一章且在相同的背景下我們的主教導重生甚至對「見神的國」是絕對必要的更不用說選擇上帝了非改革宗觀點認為他們找到最重要的經文依據證明墮落的人仍保留一個選擇基督之能力的小島。此經文依據就是約翰福音三章16節︰「神愛世人,甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們,叫一切信的,不至滅亡,反得永生。」

這節著名的經文對「關於墮落之人有能力選擇基督」有何教導呢?答案很簡單:沒有。非改革宗人士所用的論據是,經文教導世上所有的人都有能力接受或拒絕基督。然而,仔細查看經文就會發現,它並沒有作出此類教導。聖經的教導是,凡信基督的人都會得救。凡作了A (相信)的,就會得B (永生)。經文沒有,決沒有說誰會相信。它並沒有提及墮落之人與生俱來的道德能力。改革宗人士和非改革宗人士都衷心同意所有相信的人都會得救。但是在對誰有能力相信的問題上存在嚴重分歧。

有些人可能回答: 「好吧。雖然經文沒有明確教導墮落之人未被重生之前就有能力選擇基督,但它確實暗示了這一點。」我甚至不願意承認這節經文有這樣的暗示。然而,即使它暗示了,也不會對辯論產生任何影響。為什麼不會呢?我們的釋經的原則是,從聖經推斷出來的暗示必須始終服從於聖經的明確教導。我們絕對、絕對、絕對不能逆轉,將聖經的明確教導置於聖經可能有的暗示之下。改革宗和非改革宗思想家共用這一原則。

如果約翰福音三章16節暗示墮落之人普遍具有選擇基督的與生俱來的能力,那麼這個暗示就會被耶穌明確、相反的教導抹去。聖經向我們表明耶穌明確無誤的教導是:沒有人有能力來到耶穌面前,除非上帝作工,即吸引他,賜給他這種能力。

墮落的人是屬肉體的。屬肉體的人不能做任何討上帝喜悅的事。保羅說︰「因為以肉體為念就是與神為仇,既不服從 神的律法,也的確不能夠服從; 屬肉體的人不能得神的喜悅。」(羅八7-8;《聖經新譯本》)

那麼,我們問:「誰是『屬肉體』的人呢?」 保羅接著說︰「如果神的靈住在你們心裡,你們就不屬肉體,乃屬聖靈了。人若沒有基督的靈,就不是屬基督的。」(羅八9  這裏的關鍵字是「如果」。屬肉體的人與非屬肉體的人的分別是有聖靈內住。非重生的人沒有一個有聖靈內住。屬肉體的人是未重生的人。除非他們重生在先,即,從聖靈而生,否則他們就不能遵守上帝的律法,也就不能討上帝的喜悅。

上帝命令我們信靠基督。祂喜悅那些選擇基督的人。如果未重生的人能夠選擇基督,那麽他們至少可以服從上帝的其中一項命令,至少能夠做些討上帝的喜悅的事。如果是這樣,那麽使徒在這裏堅持說「那些屬肉體的人既不能服從上帝,也不能討上帝的喜悅」便是個錯誤。

我們的結論是,墮落之人仍然可以自由選擇他所渴望的,但因為他欲望是邪惡的,所以他才缺乏來到基督面前的道德能力。只要他仍然屬肉體,未重生,他就絕對不會選擇基督。他不能選擇基督,正是因為他不能違背自己的意志行事。他不渴望基督。他不會選擇他不渴望的東西。他嚴重墮落,達到一個地步,唯獨上帝有效的恩典在他心中作工,才能使他相信。

本文摘錄自史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul)博士所著的《蒙上帝揀選》Chosen by God一書。
This excerpt is taken from Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul.


——

比較原譯文:
摘自《認識預定論》第三章,黃吳期馨/郭瑞英譯(校園書房出版社),p37-55

It is ironic that in the same chapter, indeed in the same context, in which our Lord teaches the utter necessity of rebirth to even see the kingdom, let alone choose it, non-Reformed views find one of their main proof texts to argue that fallen man retains a small island of ability to choose Christ. It is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
滑稽的是,就在同一章,甚至就在這段耶穌對尼哥底母談論重生是見到神的國,選擇的必要條件的經文中,非改革宗的人也找出了一個能夠支持他們認為墮落的人仍然有選擇基督之能力的證據。那就是約翰福音三章16節︰「神愛世人,甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們,叫一切信的,不至滅亡,反得永生。」

What does this famous verse teach about fallen man’s ability to choose Christ? The answer, simply, is nothing. The argument used by non-Reformed people is that the text teaches that everybody in the world has it in their power to accept or reject Christ. A careful look at the text reveals, however, that it teaches nothing of the kind. What the text teaches is that everyone who believes in Christ will be saved. Whoever does A (believes) will receive B (everlasting life). The text says nothing, absolutely nothing, about who will ever believe. It says nothing about fallen man’s natural moral ability. Reformed people and non-Reformed people both heartily agree that all who believe will be saved. They heartily disagree about who has the ability to believe.
這句著名的經文,對於墮落的人對選擇基督之能力有什麼教訓呢?答案是沒有。非改革宗的人認為,這段經文是說,在世界上每個人憑他自己的力量,能夠選擇或拒絕基督。然而我們若仔細讀一下這段經文,就會發現並非如此。它乃是告訴我們,凡相信基督的人,必然得救,凡作了甲(相信)的人,就會得乙(永生);這經文完全沒有說誰會相信,也沒有論到墮落的人的天然道德能力。改革宗與非改革宗信徒都一致同意︰凡相信者必然得救;但是在對於誰有能力相信這點上,看法卻完全不一樣。

Some may reply, “All right. The text does not explicitly teach that fallen men have the ability to choose Christ without being reborn first, but it certainly implies that.” I am not willing to grant that the text even implies such a thing. However, even if it did it would make no difference in the debate. Why not? Our rule of interpreting Scripture is that implications drawn from the Scripture must always be subordinate to the explicit teaching of Scripture. We must never, never, never reverse this to subordinate the explicit teaching of Scripture to possible implications drawn from Scripture. This rule is shared by both Reformed and non-Reformed thinkers.
 有人可能會回答說︰「好吧,聖經雖然沒有明說墮落的人不先重生仍有能力選擇基督,至少暗示了這一點!」我實在不認為這段經文甚至有這樣的暗示,而且就算如此,對我們的辯論也無影響。為什麼呢?我們對解經的法則乃是,任何經文所暗示的教訓,必須服在聖經清楚的教訓之下,我們絕對不能弄反了,反將聖經清楚的教導服在可能有的暗示之下,這也是改革宗和非改革宗思想家一致同意的法則。

If John 3:16 implied a universal natural human ability of fallen men to choose Christ, then that implication would be wiped out by Jesus’ explicit teaching to the contrary. We have already shown that Jesus explicitly and unambiguously taught that no man has the ability to come to him without God doing something to give him that ability, namely drawing him. 暗示擦掉
如果約翰福音三章16節,暗示了墮落的人類仍有一般性的天然能力來揀選基督,那麼這個暗示就會讓耶穌明明相反的教訓給廢去了。耶穌已清楚明白地指出,若不是神先作些事來吸引人,使人有這能力的話,就沒有人會來就。

Fallen man is flesh. In the flesh he can do nothing to please God. Paul declares, “The fleshly mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7, 8).
墮落的人是屬肉體的,在肉體中,人不能做任何討神喜悅的事。保羅宣告說︰「原來體貼肉體的,就是與神為仇;因為不服神的律法,也是不能服,而且屬肉體的人不能得神的喜歡。」(羅八7~8

We ask, then, “Who are those who are ‘in the flesh’?” Paul goes on to declare: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Rom. 8:9). The crucial word here is if. What distinguishes those who are in the flesh from those who are not is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No one who is not reborn is indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. People who are in the flesh have not been reborn. Unless they are first reborn, born of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be subject to the law of God. They cannot please God.
那麼,「誰是『在肉體的』人呢?」保羅接著說︰「如果神的靈住在你們心裏,你們就不屬肉體,乃屬聖靈了。人若沒有基督的靈,就不是屬基督的。」(羅八9)這裏的關鍵字是「如果」;意即將在肉體中的人和不在肉體中的人區分開來,就是聖靈的內住。沒有重生的人就沒有聖靈的內住,在肉體中的人還沒有得到重生的,除非他們先得到重生,從聖靈而生,他們就不能服在神的律下,也不能討神的喜悅。

God commands us to believe in Christ. He is pleased by those who choose Christ. If unregenerate people could choose Christ, then they could be subject to at least one of God’s commands and they could at least do something that is pleasing to God. If that is so, then the apostle has erred here in insisting that those who are in the flesh can neither be subject to God nor please him.
神要求我們相信基督,喜悅凡揀選基督的人;如果未重生的人能夠揀選基督的話,那麼他們已經能夠服從神的命令,他們也至少已經能夠做某些討神喜悅的事了。那麼,使徒堅持在肉體中的人不能服從神也不能討神喜悅的說法,就是大錯特錯了。

We conclude that fallen man is still free to choose what he desires, but because his desires are only wicked he lacks the moral ability to come to Christ. As long as he remains in the flesh, unregenerate, he will never choose Christ. He cannot choose Christ precisely because he cannot act against his own will. He has no desire for Christ. He cannot choose what he does not desire. His fall is great. It is so great that only the effectual grace of God working in his heart can bring him to faith.
我們的結論是,墮落的人仍然有選擇他所喜好的自由。但是因為他的喜好是惡的,他就沒有自己來就基督的道德能力。一個屬肉體,尚未重生的人,是不會選擇基督的;因為他不能違反他自己的意願,他不可能揀選基督。他不渴慕基督,他不可能揀選他不渴慕的東西,他墮落的很深,深到一個地步,只有神的恩典在他心中作工,才有可能使他相信。