11 神的超越性——神的本质是属灵的Transcendence - God's natureis spiritual

《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html

http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/transcendence.htm

11 神的超越性——神的本质是属灵的

Transcendence - God's nature is spiritual

耶和华如此说：[天是我的座位，地是我的脚凳。你们要为我造何等的殿宇？哪里是我安息的地方呢？ ]。（赛66:1）

[神是灵]，耶稣在井旁对撒玛利亚妇人这样说（约4:24）。虽然神有完全的位格，但祂不像我们，需要一个身体，并透过它而存活；因此，神并不受限于时空的范畴之内，根据这项事实，再加上神是自存的，祂不像我们，并没有罪在里面所导致的位格瓦解问题（即位格的涣散与失控），我们就可得知以下的诸项真理：

第一，神既不受空间（祂的灵满在任何地方都连续存在），也不受时间的局限（在祂并没有所谓的[现在这一刻]，可以将祂锁定住，如将我们锁定住一样）。神学家将神能脱离限制与局限的这种自由，归诸于祂的无限性（infinity）、无垠性（immensity）、和超越性（tuanscendence）（有关神的这些属性，见王上8:27；赛40:12-26；66:1）。因为神托住每一事物，使之存在，所以在每一个所在，神使每一事物一直存在祂的思维面前；而在祂的世界里，神对每一事物、每一个人，都有其包罗万象的计划与旨意，神也使每一事物与祂自己有关系（但4:34-35；弗1:11）

第二，神是不变的（immutable），此意谓祂是全然一致的；因为祂必然是完全的，所以祂不会有所改变，既不会变好也不会变坏；再说，因为祂不在时间的局限之内，祂就不会像受造之物臣服于改变之下（彼后3:8）。祂绝非孤高冷漠、也非静立不动，祂在世上总是活跃的，不断地使新事发生（赛42:9；林后5：17 启21:5）而在以上的种种里，祂以完全的一致性表达出完全的性格，正因为祂的不变性（immutability），这保证了祂会固守祂所说过的话，和祂所筹算的计划（民23:19；诗33:11；玛3:6；雅1:16-18）。神的不变性可用来解释，当人改变了对祂的态度时，神为何也会也会改变对人的态度，（创6:5-7；出32:9-14；撒上15:11；拿3:10）。人们以为神的不变性，就是神对世事冷漠、无反应，这种看法实与[神的不变性]之真理背道而驰。

第三，神的感情在祂的管制之内，并不像人无法管制他的感情那样。神学家用神的[无痛感性]（impassibility）来表达这种管制力。神学家们的意思不是说，神是不动感情的、也没有感情，而是说神的感觉就像祂所做的事一样，是一椿随祂心所欲的事。出于祂旨意之抉择，也包括在祂无限实存的合一里。神从来不会成为人作为下的牺牲品，好像祂先前并没有要选择去受苦，却被我们苦害一样。圣经表露了神有丰富的情绪（喜乐、忧伤、愤怒、喜悦、爱恋、憎恨等等），忘记神有祂的感觉是大错特错的看法---只是祂的感觉必然是超越了有限者对情绪的感受。

第四，神所有的思绪和行动，都涉及祂的整体。祂是统一整全的，这个特点有时候亦被称为祂的单一性（simplicity）。神的单一性与我们之存在的复杂和缺乏整全性，形成极强烈的对比；而我们的这种复杂光景是罪所带来的结果，使我们很难或可说从未能将我们的全人、全力，集中在任何一整件事上。而神之奇妙之一，就在于祂能在同一时间内，全神贯注不只在一件事，而是在世界上每一地方的每一人、每一事上；而且过去、现在、将来都是这样（参太10:29-30）。

第五，神既是灵，人就要如耶稣所说的（约4:24），以心灵和真实去敬拜祂，[以心灵]的意思说[出自一颗被圣灵更新过得心]。礼义、肢体的动作或者灵修的方式，若没有心的涉入，都不足以成为敬拜，而心的涉入也只有靠圣灵来感动。[以真实]的意思是[用神所启示的实际为根基，而这启示在道成肉身的耶稣基督身上到达了顶点]。尤为重要的是，这个启示指出我们是失落的罪人，并指出神透过耶稣为中保的服事，成为我们的创造主并救赎主。

今日在地上没有任何一个地方可被规定为唯一敬拜神的中心。当神的时候满足时，先前用来象征神在地上居住的耶路撒冷，就被祂居住的天上的耶路撒冷所取代，耶稣在那里尽祂的职事。（来12:22-24）。在圣灵里，[凡求告耶和华的，就是诚心求告祂的，耶和华便与他们相近]，不论他们在哪里（诗145:18；另参来4:14-16）。神在普世各处都是可就近的，这也是福音里好消息的一部分，这个礼物弥足珍贵，我们不可等闲视之。

TRANSCENDENCE

GOD’S NATURE IS SPIRITUAL

This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?” ISAIAH 66:1

“God is spirit,” said Jesus to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:24). Though fully personal, God does not live in and through a body as we do, and so is not anchored in a spatio-temporal frame. From this fact, plus the further fact that he is self-existent and not marked as we are by the personal disintegration (lack of concentration and control) that sin has produced in us, several things follow.

First, God is limited neither by space (he is everywhere in his fullness continually) nor by time (there is no “present moment” into which he is locked as we are). Theologians refer to God’s freedom from limits and bounds as his infinity, his immensity, and his transcendence (1 Kings 8:27; Isa. 40:12-26; 66:1). As he upholds everything in being, so he has everything everywhere always before his mind, in its own relation to his all-inclusive plan and purpose for every item and every person in his world (Dan. 4:34-35; Eph. 1:11).

Second, God is immutable. This means that he is totally consistent: because he is necessarily perfect, he cannot change either for the better or for the worse; and because he is not in time he is not subject to change as creatures are (2 Pet. 3:8). Far from being detached and immobile, he is always active in his world, constantly making new things spring forth (Isa. 42:9; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21:5); but in all this he expresses his perfect character with perfect consistency. It is precisely the immutability of his character that guarantees his adherence to the words he has spoken and the plans he has made (Num. 23:19; Ps. 33:11; Mal. 3:6; James 1:16-18); and it is this immutability that explains why, when people change their attitude to him, he changes his attitude to them (Gen. 6:5-7; Exod. 32:9-14; 1 Sam. 15:11; Jon. 3:10). The idea that the changelessness of God involves unresponsive indifference to what goes on in his world is the precise opposite of the truth.

Third, God’s feelings are not beyond his control, as ours often are. Theologians express this by saying that God is impassible. They mean not that he is impassive and unfeeling but that what he feels, like what he does, is a matter of his own deliberate, voluntary choice and is included in the unity of his infinite being. God is never our victim in the sense that we make him suffer where he had not first chosen to suffer. Scriptures expressing the reality of God’s emotions (joy, sorrow, anger, delight, love, hate, etc.) abound, however, and it is a great mistake to forget that God feels—though in a way of necessity that transcends a finite being’s experience of emotion.

Fourth, all God’s thoughts and actions involve the whole of him. This is his integration, sometimes called his simplicity. It stands in stark contrast to the complexity and lack of integration of our own personal existence, in which, as a result of sin, we are scarcely ever, perhaps never, able to concentrate the whole of our being and all our powers on anything. One aspect of the marvel of God, however, is that he simultaneously gives total and undivided attention not just to one thing at a time but to everything and everyone everywhere in his world past, present, and future (cf. Matt. 10:29-30).

Fifth, the God who is spirit must be worshiped in spirit and in truth, as Jesus said (John 4:24). “In spirit” means “from a heart renewed by the Holy Spirit.” No rituals, body movements, or devotional formalities constitute worship without involvement of the heart, which the Holy Spirit alone can induce. “In truth” means “on the basis of God’s revelation of reality, which culminates in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.” First and foremost, this is the revelation of what we are as lost sinners and of what God is to us as Creator-Redeemer through Jesus’ mediatorial ministry.

No one place on earth is now prescribed as the only center for worship. God’s symbolic dwelling in earthly Jerusalem was replaced when the time came (John 4:23) by his dwelling in heavenly Jerusalem, whence Jesus now ministers (Heb. 12:22-24). In the Spirit, “the LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth,” wherever they may be (Ps. 145:18; cf. Heb. 4:14-16). This worldwide availability of God is part of the good news of the gospel; it is a precious benefit, and should not simply be taken for granted.

71 誓言和许愿——基督徒必须诚实Oaths and Vows - Christiansmust be truthful

《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html

http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/oaths.htm

71 誓言和许愿——基督徒必须诚实

Oaths and Vows - Christians must be truthful

众人说：[我们必归还，不再向他们索要，必照你的话行。] 我就召了祭司来，叫众人起誓，必照着所应许的而行。 我也抖着胸前的衣襟说：[凡不成就这应许的，愿　神照样抖他离开家产和他劳碌得来的，直到抖空了。] 会众都说：“阿们！”又赞美耶和华。百姓就照着所应许的去行。（尼5:12-13）

神命令基督徒在人际关系中要持守诚实，尤其是在基督徒与基督徒之间（弗4:25；西3:9），神视诚实话为真敬虔不可或缺的一部分（诗15:1-3）。神禁止说谎、欺骗和恶意造假（出20:16；利19:11）。耶稣追溯谎言的源头为撒旦（约8:44），那些像撒旦一样撒谎欺骗、破坏别人的人，圣经用厌恶可憎的词句，定罪他们为不敬虔之人（诗5:9；12:1-4；52:2-5；耶9:3-6；启22:15）。我们如何承认具有神形象之邻居是有尊严的？方法无他，就是认定他有权知道实情。讲实话表达出我们对事实、对邻居、对神合宜的尊敬，因此，它成了真宗教、真正爱邻舍的基本要素。

《西敏斯特大要理问答》第一一四问，根据负面可用来暗示正面的原则（就是要人按诫命的要求去行，以免行了诫命所禁止者），诠释第九戒——神禁止人作假见证——的意义（出20:16）。其诠释如下：

[第九诫]所要求的责任是，人应保守并推崇人与人之间的诚实话，以及邻舍与你自己的名誉；神要人为诚实话现身并守住立场；且要在审判、法理和所有其他的事物上，从心里真诚地、自由地、清楚地并完整地说诚实话，而且只说诚实话。

誓言是神圣的宣告，呼求神为这人所叙述之事和应许之事作见证；他若说谎，就求神惩罚他。圣经认为人在严肃的场合起誓是合宜的（创24:1-9；拉10:5；尼5:12；另参林后1:23；来6:13-17），虽然在宗教改革期间，重洗派（anabaptist）以拒绝这样行作为反对参与俗世生活的部分表现。他们以耶稣定罪存心骗人的誓言为由，以为那是祂真正的目的，殊不知耶稣是呼吁人说实话，并警告人不要落入试探去说一些话，予人以一种假象，玩弄人、圌利人（太5:33-37；另参雅5:12）。

向神许愿和虔诚的誓言都是对等的，应当以同样严肃的心视之（申21:23；传5:4-6）。一个人起誓或许原要做的事，就必须付上一切代价完成它（诗15:4；另参书9:15-18）。神不但要求我们把祂的话当真，祂也要求我们把自己的话当真。虽然如此，[人却不可许愿行神的话所禁止的事，或防碍其中所命令的……]《西敏斯特信仰告白》XXII.7

OATHS AND VOWS

CHRISTIANS MUST BE TRUTHFUL

“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise.” So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!” At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. NEHEMIAH 5:12-13

Truth in relationships, especially between Christians, is divinely commanded (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9), and truth-telling is specified as integral to authentic godliness (Ps. 15:1-3). God forbids lying, deception, and malicious misrepresentation (Exod. 20:16; Lev. 19:11). Jesus traces lying back to Satan (John 8:44), and those who, like Satan, lie in order to deceive and damage others are condemned in Scripture as being ungodly in a hateful and horrible way (Pss. 5:9; 12:1-4; 52:2-5; Jer. 9:3-6; Rev. 22:15). One way of acknowledging the dignity of our neighbor, who is God’s image-bearer, is to recognize that he or she has a right to the truth. Truth-telling, which shows proper respect for facts, for our neighbor, and for God, thus becomes a fundamental element in true religion and in true love of one’s neighbor.

Expounding the ninth commandment, God’s prohibition of false witness (Exod. 20:16), in terms of the principle that the negative implies the positive (i.e., the commandment requires whatever is needed to avoid what it forbids), the Westminster Larger Catechism (Q.144) says:

The duties required are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever.

Oaths are solemn declarations that invoke God as a witness of one’s statements and promises, inviting him to punish should one be lying. Scripture approves oath-taking as appropriate on solemn occasions (Gen. 24:1-9; Ezra 10:5; Neh. 5:12; cf. 2 Cor. 1:23; Heb. 6:13-17), though at the time of the Reformation the Anabaptists declined the practice as part of their rejection of involvement in the life of the secular world. They appealed to Jesus’ condemnation of oaths devised and designed to deceive as if it were a rejection of oath-taking as such rather than a call for honest speech and a warning against the temptation to use words that give a false impression, with manipulation and exploitation as one’s real purpose (Matt. 5:33-37; cf. James 5:12).

Vows to God are the devotional equivalent of oaths and must be treated with equal seriousness (Deut. 21:23; Eccles. 5:4-6). What one swears or vows to do must at all costs be done (Ps. 15:4; cf. Josh. 9:15-18). God requires us to take seriously not only his words but our own as well. However, “no man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded” (Westminster Confession XXII.7).

93 地狱——恶者要被逐入无尽的痛苦里Hell - The wicked will bebanished into endless misery

《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。
https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html

http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/hell.htm

93 地狱——恶者要被逐入无尽的痛苦里

Hell - The wicked will be banished into endless misery

死亡和阴间也被扔在火湖里，这火湖就是第二次的死。若有人名字没记载生命册上，他就被扔在火湖里。（启20:14-15） .

现在西方文化里以感性为诉求的世俗主义，对人性乐观地高估，又将神的观念予以缩小，再加上对个人道德是否真的要紧投以怀疑——换言之，良心式微了——这个倾向使得基督徒难以正视地狱的实在。我们很难理解圣经里所启示的地狱，除非对神的圣洁、以及人和魔鬼的罪恶具有深入的洞见。但从另一方面来说，新约圣经视地狱的教义为基督徒的基要信仰，我们蒙召要试着明了这个教义，好像耶稣和祂的使徒们所了解的一样。

新约圣经视地狱（耶稣称之为gehenna，即烧垃圾的地方，太5:22；18:9）；为那些在最后的大审判里，命定要受永远刑罚者的最后住处（太25:41-46；启20:11-15）。圣经认为那是火焰与黑暗之区（犹7,13）、哀哭切齿之处（8:12；13:42,50；22:13；24:51；25:30）、毁灭之域（帖后1:7-9；彼后3:7；帖前5:3）、及受苦之地（启20:10；路16:23）。换言之，那是全然哀苦与悲惨之境。假如这些词汇是象征性的（似乎也的确是的），而非字意的（火焰与黑暗就字意言，是彼此不相容的），那么我们几乎可以肯定地说，地狱实际光景之可怕绝非我们所能想象的，而是远远超过其象征。新约圣经记载有关地狱的教训，是要叫我们闻之胆寒、惊骇哑口，并使我们确知：天堂如何好过我们所能梦想的，同样地狱也是糟过我们所能想象的。这些都是与永恒有关的事，是我们现在就需要实际面对的。

地狱的概念是一种人与神负面的关系，不但是一种缺少祂同在的经验而已，更是一种神以神怒和不悦临在的经验。人经历到神的愤怒如同烈焰（来12：29）,经历到因自己阻挡祂或眷恋祂所恨恶的罪，而受到公义的定罪，以及经历到自己被剥夺了一切有价值的、可喜悦的、可恋慕的好事，这都是地狱经验的雏形（罗2：6,8-9,12）。地狱的观念是籍着有系统地否定每一项人所能经历到神的良善而形成的，而神的这些良善是信徒籍着恩典、以及所有人类籍着神诸般恩慈的天命（providence）得以知晓的（徒14:16-17；诗104:10-30；罗2:4）。诚如我们以上所说的，地狱的实情要远比其观念可怕得多；没有人可以想象地狱有多恶劣。

圣经看地狱是没玩没了的（犹13；启20:10）。臆想人在死后还有[第二次]机会，或到了某一阶段不敬虔者的位格要遭毁灭，这些想法都没有圣经的根据。

圣经视地狱是人的自我抉择：去到地狱的人都心知肚明，那是他们因着爱黑暗甚于光明，不选择造物主为他们的主，宁愿自我放纵于罪中而不求舍己的义，还有（如果他们曾听过福音）拒绝耶稣而不归向祂（约3:18-21；罗1:18，24,26,28,32；2:8；帖后2:9-11），因此而使自己落入审判。神所赐的普遍启示导致所有的世人都必须面对地狱这个问题。由此观点看来，地狱似乎是神尊重人有自决权的一种表态方式。所有的人都必得着他们实际所做的抉择；或是选择与神永远同在、敬拜祂，或是永远不与神同在一处、只敬拜自己。举凡留在地狱里的人，不但知道他们遭遇与他们所行所为的相配，而且知道这是根据他们心中所作之选择而来的后果。

圣经教导有关地狱之事的目的，是要我们激赏基督救我们脱离地狱的恩典，希望我们以感恩之心拥抱这恩典，并以理性选择它（太5:29-30；13:48-50）。神在圣经里这样清楚地将地狱证明，对人类来说，实在是一种恩怜。我们因此不能再说，神没有警告过我们了。

HELL

THE WICKED WILL BE BANISHED INTO ENDLESS MISERY

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:14-15

The sentimental secularism of modern Western culture, with its exalted optimism about human nature, its shrunken idea of God, and its skepticism as to whether personal morality really matters—in other words, its decay of conscience—makes it hard for Christians to take the reality of hell seriously. The revelation of hell in Scripture assumes a depth of insight into divine holiness and human and demonic sinfulness that most of us do not have. However, the doctrine of hell appears in the New Testament as a Christian essential, and we are called to try to understand it as Jesus and his apostles did.

The New Testament views hell (Gehenna, as Jesus calls it, the place of incineration, Matt. 5:22; 18:9) as the final abode of those consigned to eternal punishment at the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:41-46; Rev. 20:11-15). It is thought of as a place of fire and darkness (Jude 7, 13), of weeping and grinding of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30), of destruction (2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2 Pet. 3:7; 1 Thess. 5:3), and of torment (Rev. 20:10; Luke 16:23)—in other words, of total distress and misery. If, as it seems, these terms are symbolic rather than literal (fire and darkness would be mutually exclusive in literal terms), we may be sure that the reality, which is beyond our imagining, exceeds the symbol in dreadfulness. New Testament teaching about hell is meant to appall us and strike us dumb with horror, assuring us that, as heaven will be better than we could dream, so hell will be worse than we can conceive. Such are the issues of eternity, which need now to be realistically faced.

The concept of hell is of a negative relationship to God, an experience not of his absence so much as of his presence in wrath and displeasure. The experience of God’s anger as a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29), his righteous condemnation for defying him and clinging to the sins he loathes, and the deprivation of all that is valuable, pleasant, and worthwhile will be the shape of the experience of hell (Rom. 2:6, 8-9, 12). The concept is formed by systematically negating every element in the experience of God’s goodness as believers know it through grace and as all mankind knows it through kindly providences (Acts 14:16-17; Ps. 104:10-30; Rom. 2:4). The reality, as was said above, will be more terrible than the concept; no one can imagine how bad hell will be.

Scripture envisages hell as unending (Jude 13; Rev. 20:10). Speculations about a “second chance” after death, or personal annihilation of the ungodly at some stage, have no biblical warrant.

Scripture sees hell as self-chosen; those in hell will realize that they sentenced themselves to it by loving darkness rather than light, choosing not to have their Creator as their Lord, preferring self-indulgent sin to self-denying righteousness, and (if they encountered the gospel) rejecting Jesus rather than coming to him (John 3:18-21; Rom. 1:18, 24, 26, 28, 32; 2:8; 2 Thess. 2:9-11). General revelation confronts all mankind with this issue, and from this standpoint hell appears as God’s gesture of respect for human choice. All receive what they actually chose, either to be with God forever, worshiping him, or without God forever, worshiping themselves. Those who are in hell will know not only that for their doings they deserve it but also that in their hearts they chose it.

The purpose of Bible teaching about hell is to make us appreciate, thankfully embrace, and rationally prefer the grace of Christ that saves us from it (Matt. 5:29-30; 13:48-50). It is really a mercy to mankind that God in Scripture is so explicit about hell. We cannot now say that we have not been warned.

26 鬼魔——神有超然的敌对者Demons - God has supernaturalopponents

《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html

http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/demons.htm

26 鬼魔——神有超然的敌对者

Demons - God has supernatural opponents

“神有超然的敌对者“所祭祀的鬼魔，并非真神，乃是素不认识的神，是近来新与的，是你列祖所不畏惧的。（申32:17）

[鬼魔]的希腊文是daimon和daimonium，福音书里常用这个词来指那些败坏的、与神人为敌的灵体；耶稣在地上服事时，曾从受害者身上赶出大群的邪灵。鬼魔是堕落的天使，是事奉撒旦的受造之物，是不死的（耶稣曾将其中最有名的别西卜，与撒旦等量齐观，太12:24-29）。鬼魔既加入了撒旦的背叛，就被神逐出天庭，等候末后的大审判（彼后2:4；犹6）。他们的心思已笃定，是要抵挡神、良善、真理、基督的国度和人类的福祉。虽然加尔文用栩栩如生的词汇，形容他们不管走到哪儿，都拖着索鍊，休想要胜过神，但事实上他们还是有某种受限制的能力和行动的自由。

当基督在地上服事时，鬼魔在人身上的幅度与强度，是空前的，从旧约时代以来无可比。无疑的，那是撒旦面对基督的攻击，为其国度垂死挣扎的一部分（太12:29）。圣经启示我们，鬼魔有知识和能力（可1:24；9:17-27），能给人带来身心的疾病或至少试着这么做（可5:1-15；9:17-18；路11:14）。他们能认明基督，害怕祂，但倒也服在祂的权下。不过，主也承认，惟有籍着祷告，祂才能将 鬼赶出来（可9:29）。

基督授权给祂的十二使徒和那七十位门徒，并装备他们，使他们可以奉祂的名（即靠着祂的能力，路9:1;10:17）赶鬼。赶鬼的职事迄今偶尔仍是教牧之所需。十六世纪的路德会一度废弃了赶鬼服事，因为他们相信基督已经胜过撒旦，且已经永远地压制了鬼魔的侵犯；但这种说法有过早之嫌。

撒旦的鬼魔大军也用狡猾的策略，亦即使用各种欺骗和打击的方法。对抗这种策略，基本上就是属灵的争战（弗6:10-18）虽然鬼魔能多方骚扰有圣灵内住重生的人，但是他们至终不能阻挡神拯救祂选民的目的，就像他们至终不能逃避自己将面临的永远痛苦一样。正如魔鬼是神的魔鬼（这是路德的话，意指被神管制的魔鬼），鬼魔也就是神的鬼魔（被神管制的鬼魔），是祂的手下败将（西2:15）。只是——路上当神的百姓与鬼魔争战时，为着神的荣耀的进展，鬼魔那受限制的能力才得以延长。

DEMONS

GOD HAS SUPERNATURAL OPPONENTS

They sacrificed to demons, which are not God—gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. DEUTERONOMY 32:17

“Demon,” or “devil” as earlier translations rendered the words, is the Greek daimon and daimonion, the regular terms in the Gospels for the spiritual beings, corrupt and hostile to both God and man, whom Jesus exorcised from their victims in large numbers during his earthly ministry. The demons were fallen angels, deathless creatures serving Satan (Jesus equated Beelzebub, their reputed prince, with Satan: Matt. 12:24-29). Having joined Satan’s rebellion, they were cast out of heaven to await final judgment (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Their minds are permanently set to oppose God, goodness, truth, the kingdom of Christ, and the welfare of human beings, and they have real if limited power and freedom of movement, though in Calvin’s picturesque phrase they drag their chains wherever they go and can never hope to overcome God.

The level and intensity of demonic manifestations in people during Christ’s ministry was unique, having no parallel in Old Testament times or since; it was doubtless part of Satan’s desperate battle for his kingdom against Christ’s attack on it (Matt. 12:29). Demons were revealed as having knowledge and strength (Mark 1:24; 9:17-27). They inflicted, or at least exploited, physical and mental maladies (Mark 5:1-15; 9:17-18; Luke 11:14). They recognized and feared Christ, to whose authority they were subject (Mark 1:25; 3:11-12; 9:25), though by his own confession it was only through effort in prayer that he was able to expel them (Mark 9:29).

Christ authorized and equipped the Twelve and the seventy to exorcise in his name (i.e., by his power—Luke 9:1; 10:17), and the ministry of exorcism continues still as an occasional pastoral necessity. The sixteenth-century Lutheran church abolished exorcism, believing that Christ’s victory over Satan had suppressed demonic invasion forever, but this was premature.

Satan’s army of demons uses subtler strategies also, namely, deception and discouragement in many forms. Opposing these is the essence of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18). Though demons can give trouble of many kinds to regenerate persons in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, they cannot finally thwart God’s purpose of saving his elect any more than they can finally avoid their own eternal torment. As the devil is God’s devil (that is Luther’s phrase), so the demons are God’s demons, defeated enemies (Col. 2:15) whose limited power is prolonged only for the advancement of God’s glory as his people contend with them.

27 撒但——堕落天使的首领Satan - Fallen angels have aleader

 《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html

http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/satan.htm

27 撒但——堕落天使的首领

Satan - Fallen angels have a leader

“堕落天使的首领“有一天，神的众子侍立在耶和华面前，撒旦也来在其中。（伯1:6）

堕落天使的领袖撒旦，和那些天使一样，只有从新约圣经中才得窥其全貌。撒旦其名的意思是[仇敌]（神和祂百姓的对头），旧约圣经也是这样介绍他（代上21:1；伯1-2章；亚3:1-2）。新约圣经给予他的称呼，也等于启示出他的真相：[鬼魔]（chabolos）是控告者之意（例如：控告神的百姓，启12:9-10）；[亚波伦]（启9:11）是毁灭者；[那试探人的]（太4:3；帖前3:5）与[那恶者]（约一5:18-19）其意与其名同；[这世界的王]和[这世界的神]指明撒旦在人心里，引导他们过反神的生活方式（约12:31；14:30；16:11；林后4:4；另参弗2:2；约一5:19；启12:9）。耶稣说，撒旦是一位谋杀者，又是谎言之父——也就是说，他是最早的说谎者，也是所有后继虚谎和欺骗的帮助者（约8:44）。最后，圣经指出，他和在伊甸园里愚弄夏娃的蛇，是同一位（启12:9；20:2）。圣经所描绘的书面，使人看出撒旦带着令人想象不到的卑鄙、恶毒、怒气和残酷在反对神、反对神的真理，也反对那些神已经赐下祂救赎之爱的人们。

撒旦的欺骗与狡猾在保罗的叙述里最为明显：他变为光明的天使，将邪恶假冒为良善（林后11:14）。圣经描述他为一头吼叫吞吃的狮子（彼前5:8）、一条龙（启12:9），将他摧毁性的残暴表露无遗。他怎样是基督誓反的仇敌（太4:1-11；16:23；路4:13；约14:30；另参路22:3,53）如今他也是基督徒的仇敌，总是探查他们的软弱，误导他们的力量，摧毁他们的信心、盼望和品格（路22:32；林后2:11；11:3-15；弗6:16）。人不可对他掉以轻心，因他的恶毒和狡猾令人生畏；但也不必畏惧他到低声下气的地步，因为他已是神手下的败将。撒旦固然比我们强壮，但是基督已经胜过了他（太12:29），基督徒也必能胜过他，只要基督徒肯用基督所供应的资源抵挡他（弗6:10-13；雅4:7；彼前5:9-10）因[那在我们里面的比那在世界上的更大]（约一4:4）。

要承认撒旦的存在，正视他的抵挡，留心他的策略（只要不是符合基督教圣经的教导，都得留心），并要认清人总是在与他争战。千万可别落入两位神的二元观中——一位是善的，另一位是恶的，彼此互同。撒旦是受造之物，比人类超越，但不是神；他颇有知识与能力，但却非无所不知、亦非无所不能：他的确能来去自如，是人所无法相比的，但他不是无所不在。他是已被神打败的背叛者，他所拥有的能力不可能大于神所许可他的，神已经命定他要下火湖（启20:10）。

SATAN

FALLEN ANGELS HAVE A LEADER

One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. JOB 1:6

Satan, leader of the fallen angels, comes like them into full view only in the New Testament. His name means “adversary” (opponent of God and his people), and the Old Testament introduces him as such (1 Chron. 21:1; Job 1-2; Zech. 3:1-2). The New Testament gives him revealing titles: “devil” (diabolos) means accuser (i.e., of God’s people: Rev. 12:9-10); “Apollyon” (Rev. 9:11) means destroyer; “the tempter” (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5) and “the evil one” (1 John 5:18-19) mean what they say; “prince” and “god of this world” point to Satan as presiding over mankind’s anti-God life-styles (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4; cf. Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9). Jesus said that Satan was always a murderer and is the father of lies—that is, he is both the original liar and the sponsor of all subsequent falsehood and deceits (John 8:44). Finally, he is identified as the serpent who fooled Eve in Eden (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). The picture is one of unimaginable meanness, malice, fury, and cruelty directed against God, against God’s truth, and against those to whom God has extended his saving love.

Satan’s deceptive cunning is highlighted by Paul’s statement that he becomes an angel of light, disguising evil as good (2 Cor. 11:14). His destructive ferocity comes out in the description of him as a roaring, devouring lion (1 Pet. 5:8) and as a dragon (Rev. 12:9). As he was Christ’s sworn foe (Matt. 4:1-11; 16:23; Luke 4:13; John 14:30; cf. Luke 22:3, 53), so now he is the Christian’s, always probing for weaknesses, misdirecting strengths, and undermining faith, hope, and character (Luke 22:32; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:3-15; Eph. 6:16). He should be taken seriously, for malice and cunning make him fearsome; yet not so seriously as to provoke abject terror of him, for he is a beaten enemy. Satan is stronger than we are, but Christ has triumphed over Satan (Matt. 12:29), and Christians will triumph over him too if they resist him with the resources that Christ supplies (Eph. 6:10-13; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9-10). “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Acknowledging Satan’s reality, taking his opposition seriously, noting his strategy (anything, provided it be not biblical Christianity), and reckoning on always being at war with him—this is not a lapse into a dualistic concept of two gods, one good, one evil, fighting it out. Satan is a creature, superhuman but not divine; he has much knowledge and power, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent; he can move around in ways that humans cannot, but he is not omnipresent; and he is an already defeated rebel, having no more power than God allows him and being destined for the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10).

60 悔改——基督徒剧烈的改变Repentance- A Christian changes radically

《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-post_98.html
http://www.geocities.ws/gary_bee_za/packer/repentance.htm

63 成圣——基督徒在恩典中成长

Sanctification - The Christian grows in grace

劝勉他们应当悔改归向神，行事与悔改的心相称。（徒26:20）

在新约圣经中，[悔改]一字的意思是指一个人改变了他的心思，以致他所有的看法、价值观、目标、道路都改变了。他整个的生活变得不一样了。这种改变是剧烈的——包括内在的的和外在的，思想和判断、意志和情感、行为和生活方式、动机和目的，皆牵涉在内。悔改意味着开始过一个新的生活。

呼召人悔改，是施洗约翰（太3:2）、耶稣（太4:17）、十二使徒（可6:12）、彼得在五旬节那天（徒2:38）、保罗对外邦人（徒17:30；26:20），和得荣的基督对亚洲七教会中的五个教会（启2:5,16,22；3:3,19）所传讲之多篇信息中，最首要也是最基本的呼声。悔改也是耶稣所摘录要传到普世之福音的一部分（路24:47）。新约圣经所提的悔改也回应了旧约先知以色列人的一部分（路24:47）。新约圣经所提的悔改也回应了旧约先知向以色列人不断发出的呼声，要求他们回转到所偏离的神面前（如，耶23:22；25:4-5；亚1:3-6）。悔改永远能带人走上罪得赦免、重享恩泽的道路；不悔改则引人步向灭亡（如，路13:1-8）。

悔改是信心的果子，而信心又是重生的果子。但是在实际的生活中，悔改与信心是不可分的，它是人转向基督，称祂为主与救主的消极面（信心则为积极面）。认为人可以不经悔改就得着得救的信心，而且人可以一面拥抱基督作救主，一面却又拒绝祂作我们生命之主的这类想法，都是自取毁灭的妄想。真实的信心所承认的基督，正如祂真实所是的——祂是我们的神所指定的王、所赐下的祭司；真正信靠耶稣为救主，就要将这种信靠表明在顺服祂为主上。如果拒绝这样的信仰，就是想籍着一种未曾悔改的信心，来寻求称义；然而这种信心并不是信心。

论及悔改，《西敏特信仰告白》XV.2这样说：

一个罪人看到并觉悟到，他的罪不仅是危险的，也是误会及可憎的，是背乎神的圣洁本性和公义的律法。既知神在基督里施怜悯给忏悔的人，他就为自己的罪忧伤，恨恶罪恶，甚至转离一切的恶归向神，又立志竭力与神同行，遵守神的一切诫命。

上面的叙述点明，不完全的悔改是不足的，这种不完全的悔改有时又叫做不彻底的忏悔（attrition），即懊悔、自责，因为害怕刑罚而生的最终忧伤，但却不想、或不肯下决心离弃罪恶。真实的悔改是完全的悔悟（contrition），诗篇五十一篇里的大卫可以为楷模，那是在心中切切地立志不在犯罪，并且立志今后的生活要能表现出他的悔改是完全的、真实的（路3:8；徒26:20）。对任何一种罪行的悔改，都意味着从此要反其道而行，以活出最能与此罪背道而驰的德行。

REPENTANCE

A CHRISTIAN CHANGES RADICALLY

.... I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. ACTS 26:20

The New Testament word for repentance means changing one’s mind so that one’s views, values, goals, and ways are changed and one’s whole life is lived differently. The change is radical, both inwardly and outwardly; mind and judgment, will and affections, behavior and life-style, motives and purposes, are all involved. Repenting means starting to live a new life.

The call to repent was the first and fundamental summons in the preaching of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), Jesus (Matt. 4:17), the Twelve (Mark 6:12), Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:38), Paul to the Gentiles (Acts 17:30; 26:20), and the glorified Christ to five of the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19). It was part of Jesus’ summary of the gospel that was to be taken to the world (Luke 24:47). It corresponds to the constant summons of the Old Testament prophets to Israel to return to the God from whom they had strayed (e.g., Jer. 23:22; 25:4-5; Zech. 1:3-6). Repentance is always set forth as the path to remission of sins and restoration to God’s favor, impenitence as the road to ruin (e.g., Luke 13:1-8).

Repentance is a fruit of faith, which is itself a fruit of regeneration. But in actual life, repentance is inseparable from faith, being the negative aspect (faith is the positive aspect) of turning to Christ as Lord and Savior. The idea that there can be saving faith without repentance, and that one can be justified by embracing Christ as Savior while refusing him as Lord, is a destructive delusion. True faith acknowledges Christ as what he truly is, our God-appointed king as well as our God-given priest, and true trust in him as Savior will express itself in submission to him as Lord also. To refuse this is to seek justification through an impenitent faith, which is no faith.

In repentance, says the Westminster Confession, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent; so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all ways of his commandments. (XV.2)

This statement highlights the fact that incomplete repentance, sometimes called “attrition” (remorse, self-reproach, and sorrow for sin generated by fear of punishment, without any wish or resolve to forsake sinning) is insufficient. True repentance is “contrition,” as modeled by David in Psalm 51, having at its heart a serious purpose of sinning no more but of living henceforth a life that will show one’s repentance to be full and real (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20). Repenting of any vice means going in the opposite direction, to practice the virtues most directly opposed to it.