福音与末世论    The Gospel and Eschatology

 作者: Tony Reinke   诚之翻译

http://spurgeon.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/the-gospel-and-eschatology/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2014/05/22/%E7%A6%8F%E9%9F%B3%E8%88%87%E6%9C%AB%E4%B8%96%E8%AB%96.aspx

 Too often we don’t equate the gospel and justification with the theme of eschatology. These themes can get separated in our minds, and each individual doctrine suffers for the disconnect, and our souls suffer from malnourishment. The fact is that these themes are inseparable—the death and resurrection of Christ mark the inbreaking of the eschatological age and the inauguration of the new creation.

我们很少把福音和称义，以及末世的主题放在等号的两边。在我们的脑袋中，这些主题常常被分开，以至於个别的教义之间缺乏联繫，我们的灵魂也因此无法得到滋养。事实是，这些主题是分不开的——基督的死与復活标志出末世的横空而降，以及新的创造的开始。

Yesterday I read what may be the best summary of these interwoven themes in the back of Thomas Schreiner’s new commentary on Galatians (Zondervan, 2010), pages 394–395.

Thomas Schreiner在他的加拉太书注释（Zondervan, 2010, p. 394-5）中这样写到：称义是末世的判决，在末后的日子之前被提早宣告出来。这不等於说现在就被公布的这个判决，只是指向一个未来的事实。信徒今天就已经被称义了！不过，与此同时，他们仍然在等候那在审判之日的最后宣告，到那时，神所已经宣告的判决就会昭示天下。

Notice how he draws the themes together:

Justification is an eschatological verdict that has been declared in advance of the last day. This is not to say that the verdict announced now only refers to a future reality. Believers are already justified, and yet at the same time they await the final declaration on the day of judgment when the verdict that God has already announced becomes public (5:5).

In the same way, the cross of Jesus Christ has launched believers into the age to come, even though they live in the present evil age (1:4). In other words, the new exodus promised in the OT has become a reality through Jesus as the crucified and risen Lord (Isa 40:3?–11; 42:16; 43:2, 5–7, 16–19; 48:20-21; 49:8–11; 51:10–11).

同样地，耶穌基督的十架已经把信徒投送到未来的世代，虽然他们仍然活在这个邪恶的世代（1：4）。换句话说，旧约所应许的出埃及，因為耶穌的被钉十架、成為復活的主，已经成為事实（赛40：3-11；42：16；43：2，5-7，16-19；48：20-21；48：8-11；51：10-11）。

The resurrection in Jewish thought also signals the end of the old evil age and the coming of the new age of peace and plenty (cf. Isa 26:19; Ezek 37:1–14; Dan 12:2–3).

在犹太思想中，復活也标志著这个邪恶世代的终结，以及新时代的平安与丰饶的到来（参赛26：19；结37：1-4；但12：2-3）。

The resurrection is not a prominent theme in Galatians, and yet it appears in the first verse of the letter (1:1), signifying that the age to come has invaded the present age. The old evil cosmos has lost its hold over believers through the cross of Jesus Christ (6:14). Therefore, believers now belong to the new creation (6:15). The new creation has not been consummated (Isa 65:17; 66:22), but it has been inaugurated through the work of Jesus Christ. The gift of the Holy Spirit represents the arrival of the new creation (Isa 32:15; 44:3; Ezek 11:18–19; 36:26–27; Joel 2:28). The Spirit is a gift of the last days, and his presence and indwelling among the Galatians shows that the final days have begun.

復活不是加拉太书的明显主题，但是它出现在这封书信的第一节，说明将要到来的世代已经侵入这个世代。藉著耶穌基督的十字架，旧的、邪恶的世界已然失去其据点（6：14）。因此，信徒现在属於一个新的创造（6：15）。新的创造虽然还没有达到其完满（赛65：17；66：22），但是藉著耶穌基督的工作，它已经正式展开。圣灵的恩赐代表新的创造的到来（赛32：15；44：3；结11：18-19；36：26-27；珥2：28）。圣灵是末日的恩赐，祂的同在，住在加拉太人当中，说明末后的日子已经开始。

Eschatological contrasts dominate Galatians, so that we have a contrast between the old age of the flesh and the new age of the Spirit. The flesh in Paul represents the old age and who human beings are in Adam, whereas the Spirit signifies the inbreaking of the age to come.

加拉太书充满了末世的对比，我们看到属肉体的旧世代与属灵的新世代的对比。保罗所谓的肉体代表旧的世代，那些在亚当裡的人，而圣灵则标示出那将要到来的世代的闯入。

We see the same eschatological contrast between the law and the gospel. The Mosaic law belongs to the former era and believers are no longer under the law (see esp. 3:15–4:7). To be under the law is to be enslaved to the power of sin (3:10, 22, 23, 25; 4:3, 21–31; 5:18). Such slavery belongs to the former age. Now that the gospel of Christ (a fulfillment of the promise of the new exodus! Isa 40:9; 52:7) is proclaimed, the age of the law is obsolete. Believers live in the era of the cross, the resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit.

我们同样看到律法与福音的末世对比。摩西的律法属於前一个世代，信徒今天不再在律法之下（特别参见3：15-17）。在律法之下，就是罪的权势的奴僕（3：10，22，23，25；4：3，21-31；5：18）。这种奴役属於前一个世代。当基督的福音（新的出埃及的应许得到了应验！赛40：9；52：7）被宣告出来，律法的世代就被废止了。信徒如今生活在十字架、復活与圣灵恩赐的时代。

Second Corinthians 5:17 rightly summarizes Galatians: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone; the new has come!”

林后5：17很正确的这样总结加拉太书：若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人。旧事已过，都变成新的了。

这个总结把加拉太书以及旧约和新约的许多主题编织在一起。它值得我们把它打印出来，仔细研读，并且在灵修时认真默想。（如果你有兴趣，他写的这本註释书当然也值回票价！）

半伯拉纠主义，阿民念主义和唯独恩典  Semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism orGrace Alone

作者：John Samson   譯者：駱鴻銘

http://www.reformationtheology.com/2013/01/semipelagianism_arminianism_or.php

http://peddrluo.blog.163.com/blog/static/19480131220130471343/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105106813742373627205/posts/WuRv98wgTK6

半伯拉纠主义认为，人的自由意志在上帝的恩典之先。阿民念主义认为，上帝的恩典在人的自由意志之先 （但是仍然认为信心和悔改来自个人的智慧，而不是唯独来自基督）。但是在神恩独作（monergism），也就是唯独恩典的教义里，上帝怜悯地赐给人一个新心（结36；26），更新他的意志和感情，让他的选择是确定的，而且是有效的（约6：37）In semi-pelagianism man's will precedes God's grace. In Arminianism God's grace precedes man's will (but still ascribes faith and repentance to each man's personal wisdom, not to Christ ALONE). But in Divine monergism (grace alone) God mercifully gives man a new heart (Ezek. 36:26), renewing his will and affections, which makes his choice certain and effectual (Jn. 6:37).

我们应该注意到，阿民念者也坚持教导说，救恩是「唯独恩典」，如果有人说他们不是这样教导，是对他们的冒犯。虽然我承认这是他们一贯宣称的，但是我们要反驳这个断言，因为他们的神学和他们的宣称是不一致的。虽然他们当中有许多人的确正确地肯定圣经所教导的「唯独透过信心」（through FAITH alone），但是他们并未肯定「唯独恩典」的教义，至少不是从历史的角度来说，圣经或宗教改革时期对唯独恩典的看法。从历史来看，「唯独恩典」的「唯独」，是表明耶稣或祂的恩典对我们的救恩不只是必要的，也是足够拯救我们到底的。耶稣提供了我们得救所有一切必须的，包括一个能够相信的新心。另一方面，阿民念者所主张的「先在的恩典」（prevenient grace；译按：即给一切堕落的人的恩典，好让他暂时脱离灵命死亡的境地，可以自由地作出相信或不信的选择），幷没有提供这样的好处。It should be noted that Arminians are adamant that they teach salvation by "grace alone" and would take offense if someone were to say otherwise. While I acknowledge that this is what they universally declare, but we are countering this assertion by saying that their theology is not consistent with this declaration. What most Arminians really mean by "grace alone is "faith alone" which is a related concept, but not the same. The problem here is that they rightly affirm the biblical doctrine of salvation "through FAITH alone", but they do not differentiate this concept enough from the biblical doctrine of "GRACE alone", at least in any historical way the Bible or the Reformation speak of this issue. The phrase "grace alone" has always historically signified that Jesus or His grace is not merely necessary for our salvation, but sufficient to save us to the uttermost. Jesus provides everything we need for salvation, including a new heart to believe. In Arminian prevenient grace, on the other hand, Jesus provides no such thing, even by their own reckoning.

它宣称，先在的恩典可以让属血气之人脱离败坏的境地，但是仍然是未重生的人。换句话说，它使人（这也是违反他的自由意志的！）可以进入到某种半重生的状态（当然，圣经从来没有说到这种情况），然后让罪人自己成为他是否得救最终极的决定因素，也就是说，他把悔改和新心归诸于他自己的智慧或谦卑，而不是唯独归诸于基督。It claims to lift the natural man out of his depravity, but that man remains unregenerate (has no new heart). In other words it places man (against his will) in some kind of semi-regenerate state, (which the Bible, of course, never speaks of). And then makes the sinner himself the ultimate determining factor in his salvation, which means he ascribes his repenting and believing to his own wisdom or humility and not to Christ alone.

可以这样想：如果两个人同时领受了先在的恩典，其中一个人相信了基督，而另一个人拒绝了基督，那么，让他们作出不同选择的原因是什么呢？为什么一个人会相信，而另一个人会不信呢？不是因为恩典，因为他们两个人都领受了同样的恩典（译按：即阿民念者主张的「先在的恩典」），所以显然不是因为恩典，而让这两个人作出不同的选择，不是吗？耶稣则作出不同的宣告。祂说：「……凡父所赐给我的人必到我这里来……」（约6：37）。换句话说，祂保证，所有父神赐给基督的人都会相信福音。耶稣是用毫不含糊的语言作出宣告说，从头到尾，救恩的创始成终者，唯独是上帝自己，而不是人和上帝的合作（罗9：15，16；约1：13）Consider, If two persons receive prevenient grace, and one person believes while the other rejects Christ, what makes them to differ that one had faith and not the other? Why did one believe and not the other? It was not grace since they both had grace, so obviously something other than grace made them to differ? Jesus declares another way. He said, "...all that the Father gives to me will come to me" (John 6:37). In other words He ensures that all persons the Father has given to Christ will believe the gospel. Jesus is declaring, in no uncertain terms, that salvation from beginning to end, as the author and finisher, is of the LORD alone, not a cooperation between man and God (Rom 9:15, 16, John 1:13)

在後現代世代裏如何談論罪How to Talk About Sin in aPostmodern Age

作者：Tim Keller   譯者：駱鴻銘譯

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-talk-sin-in-postmodern-age

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2017/05/15/How_to_Talk_About_Sin_in_a_Postmodern_Age.aspx

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105106813742373627205/posts/dUN3jiBdiyh

當我第一次通讀整本聖經時，我試著要找出一些統一的主題。我的結論是，聖經裏有許多統一的主題，但是如果我們把其中之一當作唯一的主題（例如，「約」或「國度」），我們就會冒過度簡化的危險。When I first began reading through the Bible I looked for some unifying themes. I concluded that there are many, and that if we make one theme the theme (such as “covenant” or “kingdom”), we run the danger of reductionism.

不過，讀經其中一個主要的方式是把聖經當作是真信仰和拜偶像之間歷久不衰的爭戰。起初，人類被造是要來敬拜、事奉上帝的，並且要奉上帝的名統管治理所有的被造物（創一26～28）。保羅將人類的原罪理解為一種拜偶像的行動：「他們將不能朽壞之神的榮耀變為偶像......去敬拜事奉受造之物，不敬奉那造物的主」（羅一21～25）。我們不為上帝而活，反而開始為自己而活，為我們的工作而活，或者為物質的好處而活。我們顛倒了上帝原本想要的秩序。However, one of the main ways to read the Bible is as the ages-long struggle between true faith and idolatry. In the beginning, human beings were made to worship and serve God, and to rule over all created things in Godʼs name (Gen. 1:26­–28). Paul understands humanityʼs original sin as an act of idolatry: “They exchanged the glory of the immortal God . . . and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Rom. 1:21–25). Instead of living for God, we began to live for ourselves, or for our work, or for material goods. We reversed the original intended order.

而當我們開始敬拜事奉被造之物，被造之物就會反過來統治我們。And when we began to worship and serve created things, paradoxically, the created things came to rule over us.

我們不再是上帝的副手，統管著被造界，反而要聽命於受造界。我們會受衰敗、疾病、災難的控制。這點最終的證明就是死亡本身。我們為自己的榮耀而活，在塵灰中勞苦，但是最終我們都要回到塵土——塵土「得勝」了（創三17～19）。我們活著是為了留下我們的名，但是我們的名總是被人遺忘。Instead of being Godʼs viceregents, ruling over creation, creation now masters us. We are subject to decay and disease and disaster. The final proof of this is death itself. We live for our own glory by toiling in the dust, but eventually we return to the dust—the dust “wins” (Gen. 3:17–19). We live to make a name for ourselves, but our names are forgotten.

在聖經的一開頭，我們認識到拜偶像的意思就是奴役和死亡。Here in the beginning of the Bible we learn that idolatry means slavery and death.

拜偶像的網羅Snare of Idolatry

十誡的頭兩誡，即最基本的律法（上帝賜給人類的律法的五分之一），就是不要拜偶像。出埃及記沒有給我們看到真信仰和拜偶像之間的第三條路。我們要麼是敬拜非被造的上帝，要麼就會敬拜某種被造之物（偶像）。我們不可能什麼都不拜。The Ten Commandments’ first two and most basic laws (one-fifth of God’s law to humanity) are against idolatry. Exodus doesn’t envision any third option between true faith and idolatry. We will either worship the uncreated God, or we will worship some created thing (an idol). There is no possibility of our worshiping nothing.

新約聖經的經典經文是羅馬書一章18～25節。這段有關拜偶像的詳盡經文，往往被視為只是在指信奉異教的外邦人，但是相反，我們應該把它視為對什麼是罪，以及罪如何運作的分析。第21節告訴我們，我們之所以會去拜偶像，是因為我們想要掌控我們的人生，儘管我們知道，我們所擁有的一切都是從上帝來的：「他們雖然知道神，卻不當作神榮耀祂，也不感謝祂。」第25節告訴我們，這個掌控的策略是什麼——把被造之物當作是最重要的，決心要得到它們，並且圍繞著它們來建造我們的生活。既然我們必須敬拜某種事物，這是因為我們是這樣被造的，我們就無法不靠創造出一些代替上帝的事物，以便將上帝排除在我們的生活之外。第21和25節告訴我們，拜偶像的兩種結果：The classic New Testament text is Romans 1:18–25. This extensive passage on idolatry is often seen as only referring to the pagan Gentiles, but instead we should recognize it as an analysis of what sin is and how it works. Verse 21 tells us that the reason we turn to idols is because we want to control our lives, despite the fact we know we owe God everything: “Though they knew God, they neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him.” Verse 25 tells us the strategy for control—taking created things and setting our hearts on them and building our lives around them. Since we need to worship something, because of how we are created, we cannot eliminate God without creating God-substitutes. Verses 21 and 25 tell us the two results of idolatry:

1. 欺騙：「他們的思念變為虛妄，無知的心就昏暗了。」（21節）

Deception—“their thinking became futile and their hearts were darkened.” (v. 21)

2. 奴役——他們「敬拜事奉」被造之物。（25節）Slavery—“they worshiped and served” created things. (v. 25)

我們敬拜什麼，就會事奉什麼，因為敬拜和事奉是緊密相連、無法分開的。我們是「盟約的」被造物（“covenantal” beings）。最能捕獲我們的想像和我們的心的，我們就會與它建立盟約關係來事奉它。它也會成為我們的網羅。因此每個人、每個群體，一切思想形式、文化，都是建立在某種終極關懷或某種終極忠誠的基礎上的——不是對上帝忠誠，就是對上帝的替代品忠誠。在個人的層面，我們最終會指望上帝或指望成功、愛情、家庭、身分、知名度、美麗或其他，使我們感到個人的意義，感到安全，也引導我們的選擇。在文化層面上，我們最終會指望上帝，或指望自由市場，國家，社會精英，人民的意志，科學和科技，軍事力量，人類理性，種族驕傲，或其他事物，使我們感到集體的意義和安全感，也引導我們的選擇。Whatever we worship we will serve, for worship and service are always inextricably bound together. We are “covenantal” beings. We enter into covenant service with whatever most captures our imagination and heart. It ensnares us. So every human personality, community, thought form, and culture will be based on some ultimate concern or some ultimate allegiance—either to God or to some God-substitute. Individually, we will ultimately look either to God or to success, romance, family, status, popularity, beauty, or something else to make us feel personally significant and secure, and to guide our choices. Culturally, we will ultimately look to either God or to the free market, the state, the elites, the will of the people, science and technology, military might, human reason, racial pride, or something else to make us corporately significant and secure, and to guide our choices.

拜偶像的根源Idolatry at Root

沒有人比馬丁路德更好地掌握到這點，他在闡釋十誡時，出奇地把舊約和新約聖經結合在一起。路德看到舊約聖經律法反對偶像，新約聖經強調唯獨因信稱義，基本上是同一回事。他觀察到十誡是從反對偶像的兩個誡命開始的。這是因為違背律法的根本問題總是拜偶像。換句話說，我們在違背其他誡命之前，永遠會先違背第一誡——反對拜偶像的律法。路德明白，第一誡其實是關乎因信稱義的，不相信因信稱義就是在拜偶像，這就是得罪上帝一切的行為舉止的根源：No one grasped this point better than Martin Luther, who ties the Old Testament and New Testament together remarkably in his exposition of the Ten Commandments. Luther saw how the Old Testament law against idols and the New Testament emphasis on justification by faith alone are essentially the same. He observed that the Ten Commandments begin with two commandments against idolatry. This is because the fundamental problem in lawbreaking is always idolatry. In other words, we never break the other commandments without first breaking the first commandment—the law against idolatry. Luther understood that the first commandment is really all about justification by faith, and to fail to believe in justification by faith is idolatry, which is the root of all that displeases God:

那些不在任何時間信靠上帝，不在他們一切的工作或苦難、生與死當中，信靠祂的恩惠、恩典、美意，卻想要在其他事物或他們自己身上尋找祂的恩惠的人，就是不遵行祂的（第一條）誡命，實際上就是在拜偶像——就算他們遵行了其他所有的誡命，除此之外，還作了所有的禱告、禁食、順服、忍耐，還有所有聖徒加起來的慈惠工作。因為若不遵行第一誡，其他的誡命就會化為烏有，僅僅是謊言、表演、假冒，華而不實......若我們懷疑或不相信上帝對我們是滿有恩慈的，也喜悅我們；或者，我們若放肆地一心想要藉著我們的行為來討祂歡心，那就是純粹的謊言，表面上是尊榮上帝，但是裏面卻是高舉自己當作假救主（Treatise Concerning Good Works, Part X.XI）All those who do not at all times trust God and do not in all their works or sufferings, life and death, trust in his favor, grace and goodwill, but seek his favor in other things or in themselves, do not keep this [first] commandment, and practice real idolatry, even if they were to do the works of all the other commandments, and in addition had all the prayers, obedience, patience, and chastity of all the saints combined. For the chief work is not present, without which all the others are nothing but mere sham, show, and pretense, with nothing back of them. . . . If we doubt or do not believe that God is gracious to us and is pleased with us, or if we presumptuously expect to please him only through and after our works, then it is all pure deception, outwardly honoring God, but inwardly setting up self as a false [savior]. (Treatise Concerning Good Works, Part X.XI)

路德在這裏說到，不相信上帝在基督裏完全接納我們——並指望其他事物拯救我們——就是沒有遵行第一誡命，即在祂面前沒有別神。想要靠律法的義來賺取你自己的救恩，就是違背了第一誡命。再次說，他說除非我們遵行第一誡——反對拜偶像和行律法稱義——就無法完全遵行其他律法。因此，在任何特定的罪的底下，都是拒絕基督的救恩、沉迷於自我拯救的罪。Here Luther says failure to believe God accepts us fully in Christ—and to look to something else for our salvation—is a failure to keep the first commandment; namely, having no other gods before him. To try to earn your own salvation through works-righteousness is breaking the first commandment. Again, he says we cannot truly keep any of the other laws unless we keep the first law—against idolatry and works-righteousness. Thus beneath any particular sin is this sin of rejecting Christ-salvation and indulging in self-salvation.

例如，我們假設有一個人在報稅時造假。他為什麼會造假呢？好，你說，因為他是個罪人。是的，但是他為什麼會以這種形式犯罪呢？路德的回答會是，這個人之所以會造假，是因為他把金錢或財物——以及從它們而來的身分地位或舒適——看的比上帝和祂的恩惠來得更重要。或者我們假設，有一個人對一個朋友說謊，因為怕丟臉而不願承認她作的醜事。在這種情況下，其根本的罪是把人的贊同或你的聲望看得比你在基督裏的義更為重要。For example, letʼs say a person cheats on his income tax form. Why does he do that? Well, you say, because he’s a sinner. Yes, but why does his sin take this form? Lutherʼs answer would be that the man only cheated because he was making money and possessions—and the status or comfort from having more of them—more important than God and his favor. Or letʼs say a person lies to a friend rather than lose face over something she has done. In that case the underlying sin is making human approval or your reputation more important than the righteousness you have in Christ.

如此，聖經不是把拜偶像當成是許多罪中其中的一種，而是說，我們未能完全信靠上帝或未能過正當的生活，其根源都是拜偶像——把這件事看得比上帝重要。犯罪總是找得到理由。而在所有的罪底下，都是拜偶像的私慾。The Bible, then, does not consider idolatry to be one sin among many. Rather, all our failures to trust God wholly or to live rightly are, at root, idolatry—something we make more important than God. There is always a reason for a sin. Under our sins are idolatrous desires.

在後現代文化裏的偶像崇拜Idolatry in Postmodern Culture

聖經關於拜偶像的教導，對於在一個後現代處境下傳福音是特別有幫助的。基督徒定義罪的典型方式是說，罪就是違背上帝的律法。當然，如果正確地加以解釋，這是一個很好、很充足的定義。但是上帝的律法包括「怠忽的罪」（sin of omission；譯按：怠忽是指該作卻沒有作）和「干犯的罪」（sin of commission；譯按：干犯是指作了不該作的），它包括心的態度，也包括行為。錯誤的態度和動機通常是放縱的情慾——一切拜偶像的形式。但是絕大多數的人，當他們聽到我們把罪定義為「違背上帝律法」的時候，他們一切的心思都落在負面的（干犯的罪）和外在的（行為，而不是態度）層面上。因此，基於一些重大的理由，對後現代的聽眾來說，首先用「違背律法」來描述罪，並不是最好的方式。Scripture’s teaching about idolatry is particularly helpful for evangelism in a postmodern context. The typical way Christians define sin is to say that it is breaking Godʼs law. Properly explained, of course, that’s a good and sufficient definition. But the law of God includes both sins of omission and also of commission, and it includes attitudes of the heart as well as behavior. Those wrong attitudes and motivations are usually inordinate desires—forms of idolatry. Yet when most listeners hear us define sin as “breaking Godʼs law,” all the emphasis in their minds falls on the negative (sins of commission) and on the external (behaviors rather than attitudes). There are significant reasons, then, that “lawbreaking” isnʼt the best way to first describe sin to postmodern listeners.

對一個年輕的、住在城市裏的非基督徒，我通常會像這樣開始談論罪：I ordinarily begin speaking about sin to a young, urban, non-Christian like this:

罪不只是做一些壞事而已，而是更根本地，把一些好事當成是最終極、最重要的事。罪是把你的人生和意義建立在任何事——即使是一件非常好的事——之上，而不是建立在上帝之上。無論我們把人生建立在什麼東西之上，這件東西就會駕馭我們、奴役我們。罪在根本上就是拜偶像。Sin isnʼt only doing bad things; it’s more fundamentally making good things into ultimate things. Sin is building your life and meaning on anything, even a very good thing, more than on God. Whatever we build our life on will drive us and enslave us. Sin is primarily idolatry.

這為什麼是一條可行的善道呢？首先，這個對罪的定義涵蓋了後現代人所敏銳覺察到的一群人。後現代人正確地相信，自以為義的宗教人士造成了許多的傷害。如果我們說，「罪是違背上帝的律法」，卻沒有進一步加以解釋，從表面上看，他們所知的法利賽人就是在救恩「裏頭」，而絕大多數的人會被排除在救恩「之外」。當然，法利賽人在遵行道德律法上是一絲不苟的，因此（對聽眾來說），他們似乎代表著基督徒行事為人的精華。強調拜偶像就會避免這個問題。如同路德指出的，法利賽人雖然沒有向偶像下拜，卻指望靠他們自己和自己的道德善行來稱義，因此他們實際上是違背了第一誡。他們的道德標準是自以為義的動機，因此在屬靈上是病態的。他們一切守律法的行為，說穿了其實都違背了最根本的律法。當我們向後現代人解釋罪和描述罪時，必須用一種不僅僅能激發妓女改變的方式，也要能激發法利賽人改變。Why is this a good path to take? First, this definition of sin includes a group of people postmodern people are acutely aware of. Postmodern people rightly believe much harm has been done by self-righteous religious people. If we say “sin is breaking Godʼs law” without a great deal of further explanation, it appears the Pharisaical people they have known are “in,” and most other people are “out.” Pharisees, of course, are quite fastidious in their keeping of the moral law, and therefore (to the hearer) they seem to be the essence of what a Christian should be. An emphasis on idolatry avoids this problem. As Luther points out, the Pharisees, while not bowing to literal idols, were looking to themselves and their moral goodness for their justification, and therefore they were actually breaking the first commandment. Their morality was self-justifying motivation and therefore spiritually pathological. At the bottom of all their lawkeeping, they were actually breaking the most fundamental law of all. When we define and describe sin to postmodern people, we must do so in a way that challenges not only prostitutes, but also Pharisees, to change.

我們必須用更好的方式向後現代人解釋罪，還有另一個理由。他們是相對主義者，當你說「罪是違背上帝的道德標準」時，他們會反駁說，「嗯，誰來決定哪個人的道德標準是正確的呢？每個人都有不同的道德標準啊！基督徒憑什麼認為他們的那套標準才是唯一正確的呢？」一般的回應方式是偏離你對罪和恩典的解說，轉到一種對相對主義的護教學討論裏。當然，後現代人士對真理含糊不清的看法，必須受到強烈的挑戰，但是我認為有一種方法可以繼續前進，並且實際上在進入到護教學的問題之前，就可以作出一個可靠的、讓人扎心知罪的福音解說。我是以這種方式來介紹罪的：我從祁克果的《致死的疾病》（The Sickness unto Death）摘錄一段話，把罪定義為：把你的身分——你的自我價值和幸福——建立在除了上帝以外的任何事物上。我不會告訴他們，因為他們和男友或女友上床就是在犯罪，而是告訴他們，因為他們指望他們的事業和愛情可以拯救他們，寄望事業和愛情可以把他們應該在上帝裏面尋求的一切賜給他們，就是在犯罪。這種偶像敬拜會帶來緊迫感，讓人上癮，也帶來焦慮感、強迫症、嫉妒他人，以及憎恨。There’s another reason we need a better explanation of sin for postmodern people. They are relativists, and the moment you say, “Sin is breaking Godʼs moral standards,” they will retort, “Well, who is to say whose moral standards are right? Everyone has different ones! What makes Christians think theirs are the only right set?” The usual way to respond is to become sidetracked from your presentation of sin and grace into an apologetic discussion about relativism. Of course, postmodern people must be strongly challenged about their mushy view of truth, but I think there is a way to move forward and actually make a credible and convicting gospel presentation before you get into the apologetic issues. I do it this way: I take a page from Kierkegaardʼs The Sickness unto Death, and I define sin as building your identity—your self-worth and happiness—on anything other than God. Instead of telling them they’re sinning because they’re sleeping with their girlfriends or boyfriends, I tell them that they’re sinning because they’re looking to their careers and romances to save them, to give them everything they should be looking for in God. Such idolatry leads to drivenness, addictions, severe anxiety, obsessiveness, envy of others, and resentment.

我發現到，當你用拜偶像來描述他們的生活時，後現代人不會有太大的抗拒。他們會質疑是否有其他的出路，但是他們羞怯地承認這就是他們在作的。我也發現這會讓罪變得更加個人性。把一件事物變成偶像的意思，就是把你應該給造物主和供應者的愛，給了這件事物。把罪描繪為不僅僅是違背律法，更是違背愛，會更有說服力。當然，一個完整的對罪和恩典的描述，必然包括承認我們悖逆了上帝的權柄。但是我發現到，如果人們相信他們的罪是拜偶像和被誤導的愛，那麼，如果告訴他們，罪其中的一個果效是讓他們否認他們對上帝的敵意，就會比較容易。在某種程度上，拜偶像就像是成癮的放大。我們落在屬靈偶像的網羅裏，就像人們落在飲酒和藥物的網羅裏一樣。我們否認我們正在反叛、抵擋上帝的統治，正如上癮的人否認他們正在踐踏他們的家人和愛他們的人一樣。I’ve found when you describe their lives in terms of idolatry, postmodern people do not offer much resistance. They doubt there is any real alternative, but they admit sheepishly this is what they are doing. I’ve also found this makes sin more personal. Making an idol out of something means giving it the love you should be giving your Creator and Sustainer. To depict sin as not only a violation of law, but also of love, is more compelling. Of course a complete description of sin and grace includes recognition of our rebellion against Godʼs authority. But Iʼve found that if people become convicted about their sin as idolatry and mis-directed love, it’s easier to show them that one of the effects of sin is to put them into denial about their hostility to God. In some ways, idolatry is like addiction writ large. We are ensnared by our spiritual idols, just like people are ensnared by drink and drugs. We live in denial of how much we are rebelling against Godʼs rule, just like addicts live in denial of how much they are trampling on their families and loved ones.

在聖經裏拜偶像的主題，對於在後現代社會裏作福音事奉來說，比起我們在這裏討論的，還有更多的義涵。它不僅僅是福音佈道的鑰匙，對門徒訓練和輔導來說，也是至為關鍵的，正如鮑力生（David Powlison）在這個主題上所寫的許多著作裏已經證明的（見他的論文，〈Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair〉）。德國的加爾文主義者已經證明，分析文化最佳的方式是辨識他們集體的偶像。誠然，每個職業和研究的領域，都有其盛行的偶像，一切的政黨和意識形態亦然。世俗社會把人類理性和人的自主（human autonomy）當成偶像，其他的傳統社會則是把家庭或種族的純正當作偶像。The biblical theme of idolatry has far more implications for ministry in a postmodern society than I’ve discussed here. Not only is it a key for evangelism, it’s also crucial for discipling and counseling, as David Powlison has shown in his many writings on the subject. (See his essay “Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair.”) The Dutch Calvinists have also shown that the best way to analyze cultures is by identifying their corporate idols. Indeed, each field of vocation and study has its reigning idols, as do political parties and ideologies. While secular societies have made an idol of human reason and human autonomy, other more traditional societies make idols of the family or racial purity.

在她最近的回憶錄 Easter Everywhere: A Memoir裏（暫譯：《到處都是復活節：一本回憶錄》），Darcey Steinke，一位路德宗牧師的女兒，講述她如何離開了她的基督徒認信。在她搬到紐約後，過著一種遊走夜總會和強迫性性行為的生活。她寫了好幾本小說。但是她仍然感到極度不安，內心得不到滿足。在這本書中，她引用西蒙娜‧薇依（Simone Weil）的話，作為她一生問題的總結。「人只能在上帝和拜偶像之間作選擇」，薇依寫道。「如果人否認上帝......人就是在敬拜這世上的一些東西，人會以為只是把它們看作一些物件，但是事實上，卻是不知不覺地想像這些東西裏面是有神的屬性的。」In her recent memoir Easter Everywhere: A Memoir, Darcey Steinke recounts how she, the daughter of a Lutheran minister, left her Christian profession. Moving to New York City, she entered a life of club-hopping and sexual obsession. She wrote several novels. She continued, however, to be extremely restless and unfulfilled. In the middle of the book she quotes from Simone Weill as summarizing the main issue in her life. “One has only the choice between God and idolatry,” Weil wrote. “If one denies God . . . one is worshiping some things of this world in the belief that one sees them only as such, but in fact, though unknown to oneself imagining the attributes of Divinity in them.”

Stephen Metcalf，在他為這本回憶錄寫的書評裏，稱薇依的引文是「奇特非凡的」。這見證了拜偶像這個概念如何深入到後現代人的心中。Stephen Metcalf, in his New York Times review of the memoir, called Weillʼs quote “ʻextraordinary.ʼ” This is testimony to how penetrating the concept of idolatry is to postmodern people.

閱讀聖經時應當牢記的十件事10 Things to Remember WhenReading the Bible

作者：Vern Poythress 譯者：駱鴻銘

https://www.crossway.org/blog/2016/03/10-things-to-remember-when-reading-the-bible/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2017/05/13/10_Things_to_Remember_When_Reading_the_Bible.aspx

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105106813742373627205/posts/cSyYN69ebyC

1. 聖經是上帝自己說的話。

1. The Bible is God’s own word.

這意味著，聖經說的，就是上帝說的。

That means that what the Bible says, God says.

2. 上帝以祂的聖言統管全世界，祂的聖言指明並掌管萬事（來一3）。

2. God governs the whole world through his divine speech, which specifies and controls what happens (Heb. 1:3).

聖經表明，上帝透過說話來統管世界，但是我們沒有聽見祂說話，只看到祂說話的果效（例如：詩卅6、9；一四七15～18）。相比之下，聖經是上帝說的話，是上帝用來對我們人類具體說話的方式。上帝一切的言說，無論是直接統管全世界，還是直接對我們人類說話，都具有神聖的特質。具體而言，它顯明上帝在權柄、掌管、同在中的主權。

The Bible indicates that God speaks to govern the world, but we do not hear this speech; we only see its effects (for example, Ps. 33:6, 9; 147:15–18). The Bible, by contrast, is the word of God, designed by God to speak specifically to us as human beings. All divine speech, whether directed toward governing the world in general or directed toward us as human beings, has divine character. In particular, it displays God’s lordship in authority, control, and presence.

3. 上帝透過聖約對我們說話（創九9，十五18，十七7；出十九5，等等）。

3. God speaks his words to us in covenants (Gen. 9:9; 15:18; 17:7; Ex. 19:5; etc.).

「聖約」（covenant）是兩個團體之間，一個莊嚴的、在法律上具有約束力的協議。在舊約聖經裏，上帝與人立的約，與古代近東的宗主條約（suzerainty treaties）有一些類似之處。這些條約有五個元素，也或明或暗地出現在舊約聖經當中、上帝與人所立的聖約裏：宗主身份的確認（出廿2）；歷史序言（出廿2）；聖約的規定（stipulations；出廿3～17）；聖約的獎懲（sanctions；即：祝福與咒詛）（出廿7；另參見12節）；立約的記錄和傳遞（出卅一18；申卅一）。

A “covenant” is a solemn, legally binding agreement between two parties. In this case, the two parties are God and human beings. In the Old Testament, God’s covenants with human beings show some affinities with ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties. These treaties show five elements, which also appear either explicitly or by implication in God’s covenants in the Old Testament: identification of the suzerain (Ex. 20:2); historical prologue (Ex. 20:2); stipulations (Ex. 20:3-17); sanctions (i.e., blessings and curses) (Ex. 20:7; see also v. 12); recording and passing on (Ex. 31:18; Deut. 31).

上帝的身份宣告出祂超然的權柄，而聖約的規定，作為聖約子民生活的標準，暗示祂對子民的權柄。歷史序言說明祂在過去的歷史裏如何施作祂的掌管。祝福與咒詛表明祂在未來要如何施行祂的掌管。祂的身份也宣告祂的同在，而聖約的記錄和傳遞則暗示祂會持續不斷與祂的子民同在。

The identification of God proclaims his transcendent authority, and the stipulations as norms imply his authority over the people. The historical prologue shows how he has exercised his control in past history. The blessings and curses indicate how he will exercise his control in the future. His identification also proclaims his presence, and the recording and passing on of the covenantal words imply his continuing presence with the people.

4. 整本聖經都是上帝聖約的言語（covenantal word）。

4. All the Bible is the covenantal word of God.

換言之，聖約的觀念提供我們看待聖經的一種視角。新約聖經宣告出有關基督的死、復活、升天的福音。使徒保羅把他完整的職事形容為是「新約」的職事（提後三6）。因此，從一個寬泛的角度來說，保羅所有的著作都是聖約的言語。耶穌在最後晚餐裏開啟了「新約」（路廿二20；林前十一25）。其他使徒和新約聖經作者的作用，是把新約的話語傳給我們。

That is, the idea of covenant offers us one perspective on the Bible. The New Testament proclaims the gospel concerning the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. The apostle Paul characterizes his entire ministry as a ministry of the “new covenant” (2 Cor. 3:6). So all of Paul’s writings are covenantal words in a broad sense. At the Last Supper, Jesus inaugurated “the new covenant” (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). The other apostles and New Testament writers function to convey the words of the new covenant to us.

當聖經用「新」這個字眼來描述新約時，就明顯地假定有一個舊約。新約應驗了亞伯拉罕之約（加三7～14）和大衛之約（徒二30～36），但是當新約聖經暗示一個「舊」約時（來八8～13），基本上是想到了摩西之約。摩西之約也包含了（在申命記卅一章）保存正典聖約文件的明確教導，和有關未來先知的明確命令（申十八18～22）。整本舊約聖經是把上帝授權的附加文件，加在原始的摩西文庫上，因此與摩西所開啟的聖約結構是完全吻合的。舊約聖經整體具有聖約的特性。

When the Bible uses the word new to describe the new covenant, it clearly presupposes an older one. The new covenant fulfills the Abrahamic covenant (Gal. 3:7–14) and the Davidic covenant (Acts 2:30–36), but the Mosaic covenant is principally in mind when the New Testament implies a covenant that is “old” (Heb. 8:8–13). The Mosaic covenant also contains, in Deuteronomy 31, explicit instructions for preserving canonical covenantal documents and explicit instructions about future prophets (Deut. 18:18–22). The entirety of the Old Testament consists in divinely authorized additions to the initial Mosaic deposit, so it fits into the covenantal structure inaugurated with Moses. The entire Old Testament is covenantal in character.

因此，新約聖經和舊約聖經從一個廣泛的意義來說，可以被視為聖約文件。的確，它們傳統的名字是新「約」與舊「約」，「約」（Testamants）這個字就象徵它們的聖約特性（在後來的神學用法裏，Testamant和covenant是相近的同義詞，按照來九15～16來說）。

Thus both the New Testament and the Old Testament can be viewed as covenantal in a broad sense. Indeed, the traditional names, in which they are called “Testaments,” signify their covenantal character (“testament” is a near synonym for “covenant” in later theological usage, which builds on Heb. 9:15–16).

5. 聖經是一本單一完整的書，上帝是其作者。

5. The Bible is a single book, with God as its author.

聖經當然有眾多的人間作者。但是它來自上帝是其作者所獨具的統一性，暗示我們必須將它視為完整統一的信息，並且應當用每一卷書卷的每一段經文幫助我們理解其他經文。因為上帝忠於祂自己的屬性，祂就不會背乎自己。因此我們對聖經每一段經文的解釋必須和聖經其餘的部分一致。

It does of course have multiple human authors. But its unity according to the divine author implies that we should see it as a single unified message, and should use each passage and each book to help us in understanding others. Because God is faithful to his own character, he is consistent with himself. We should therefore interpret each passage of the Bible in harmony with the rest of the Bible.

6. 聖經是以上帝為中心的。

6. The Bible is God-centered.

聖經不僅僅是以上帝為其作者，它也以一種根本的方式論到上帝，以上帝為它的主要對象。即使在沒有直接提到上帝的歷史段落裏，也是如此，這是因為這段經文所講述的歷史是由上帝所掌管的。

It not only has God as its author, but in a fundamental way it speaks about God as its principal subject. It does so even in historical passages that do not directly mention God, because the history it recounts is history governed by God.

7. 聖經是以基督為中心的。

7. The Bible is Christ-centered.

上帝藉著聖約與我們同在，而聖約的中心就是基督，祂是神人之間唯一的中保（提前二5）。基督是成了肉身降臨的耶和華僕人，祂基本上被視為和以賽亞書四十二章6節和四十九章8節所說的是同一位僕人。在路加福音廿四章裏，耶穌教導使徒們，舊約聖經所說的一切都和祂和祂的工作有關（路廿四25～27，44～49）。

Covenants mediate God’s presence to us, and at the heart of the covenants is Christ, who is the one mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). Christ, as the coming servant of the Lord, is virtually identified with the covenant in Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8. In Luke 24, Jesus teaches the apostles that all of the Old Testament Scriptures are about him and his work (Luke 24:25–27, 44–49).

要明白舊約聖經如何論及基督會考驗我們的能力，但是有鑑於耶穌的教導，這是無法逃避的。好在我們有新約聖經的幫助。它不僅包含了幫助我們明白整本舊約聖經的許多教訓，而且從舊約聖經而來的眾多引文，也說明了耶穌在路加福音第廿四章的聲稱。

Understanding how the Old Testament speaks about Christ is challenging, but in view of Jesus’s teaching it cannot be evaded. Fortunately, we have the New Testament to aid us. It contains not only teachings that help us to understand the Old Testament as a whole, but many quotations from the Old Testament that illustrate Jesus’s claims in Luke 24.

8. 聖經是以救贖歷史為導向的。

8. The Bible is oriented to the history of redemption.

上帝使聖經的每一卷書卷在一兩個世紀的時間裏完成。上帝後來說的話乃是建立在先前說的話的基礎之上的。上帝的救贖之工發生在歷史當中。基督信仰不僅僅是一種宗教哲學，一套關於上帝和世界的一般性真理；其核心是福音，即基督已經降臨，在地上生活過，而且死了，且從死裏復活的好消息，祂如今且長遠活著，為我們代求。上帝已經藉著基督的位格，以及在時空中的行動，作成了我們的救恩。這個關於祂所成就的一切的信息，如今要廣傳到萬國萬邦（太廿八18～20；徒一8）。

God caused the Bible’s individual books to be written over a period of centuries. God’s later speech builds on earlier speech, and further unfolds the significance of his plan for history. God’s redemption takes place in history. Christianity is not merely a religious philosophy, a set of general truths about God and the world. At its heart is the gospel, the good news that Christ has come and has lived and died and has risen from the dead, and now lives to intercede for us. God has worked out our salvation by coming in the person of Christ and acting in time and space. The message of what he has done now goes out to the nations (Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 1:8).

9. 歷史是以耶穌第一次和第二次降臨為核心的。

9. Christ’s first and second coming are central to history.

上帝的救贖工作，在基督在地上的工作裏達到了高峰，尤其是在祂被釘十字架、死、復活、升天上。基督如今坐在父神的右邊掌權作王（弗一20～21）。我們盼望當基督再臨時，救贖在未來會得到終末成全。

God’s work of redemption came to a climax in the work of Christ on earth, especially in his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. Christ now reigns at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20–21). We look forward to the future consummation of redemption when Christ returns.

10. 上帝的救贖之工交織著說話和行事。

10. God’s work of redemption interweaves word and deed.

We see this interweaving even during his work of creation:

說話：上帝說，「要有光」。

行事：就有了光。

說話：上帝看光是好的[相當於用話語來評估祂的作為]（創一3～4）

Word: God said, “Let there be light.”

Deed: And there was light.

Word: And God saw that the light was good [similar to verbal evaluation]. (Gen. 1:3–4)

說話：「我們要照著我們的形象……造人……」

行事：上帝就照著自己的形象造人......

說話：上帝對他們說，「要生養眾多......」（創一26～28）

Word: “Let us make man in our image . . .”

Deed: So God created man in his own image, . . .

Word: And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply . . .” (Gen. 1:26–28)

同樣，耶穌說的話解釋了祂的行事，反之亦然：

Likewise, Jesus’s words interpret his deeds and vice versa:

我若不行我父的事，你們就不必信我；我若行了，你們縱然不信我，也當信這些事，叫你們又知道又明白父在我裏面，我也在父裏面。（約十37～38）

If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. (John 10:37–38)

在使徒行傳裏，神蹟和教會的增長幫助不信的人明白使徒講道的涵義，反之亦然：

In the book of Acts, the miracles and the growth of the church help unbelievers to grasp the implications of apostolic preaching, and vice versa:

腓利下撒瑪利亞城去，宣講基督。眾人聽見了，又看見腓利所行的神蹟，就同心合意的聽從他的話。因為有許多人被污鬼附著，那些鬼大聲呼叫，從他們身上出來；還有許多癱瘓的，瘸腿的，都得了醫治。（徒八5～7）。

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. (Acts 8:5–7)

Vern S. Poythress is professor of New Testament interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary, where he has taught for nearly four decades. In addition to earning six academic degrees, including a PhD from HarvardUniversity and a ThD from the University of Stellenbosch. He is the author of numerous books and articles on a variety of topics, including biblical interpretation, language, and science. His most recent book isReading the Word of God in the Presence of God: A Handbook for Biblical Interpretation。